Timberwolves take on Thunder in Western Conference finals: Schedule, stats and more
The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the Western Conference finals for a second straight season, a feat the franchise has never before achieved.
After going 8-2 against the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, the Wolves headed into the penultimate series feeling confident and well-rested.
Here's everything you need to know as the Wolves play in the Western Conference finals.
Who are the Wolves playing?
The Wolves' opponent in the conference finals is the Oklahoma City Thunder. They beat the Denver Nuggets in seven games to advance to the conference finals
The Wolves are the road team. As the No. 6 seed, they'll cede homecourt advantage to the No. 1 Thunder.
When do the Wolves play?
- Game 1: Tuesday, May 20, 7:30 p.m. CT at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City (Timberwolves 88 - Thunder 114)
- Game 2: Thursday, May 22, 7:30 p.m. CT at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City (Timberwolves 103 - Thunder 118)
- Game 3: Saturday, May 24, 7:30 p.m. CT at Target Center in Minneapolis (Thunder 101 - Timberwolves 143)
- Game 4: Monday, May 26, 7:30 p.m. CT at Target Center in Minneapolis (Thunder 128 - Timberwolves 126)
- Game 5: Wednesday, May 28, 7:30 p.m. CT at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City
- Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, May 30, 7:30 p.m. CT at Target Center in Minneapolis
- Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, June 1, 7 p.m. CT at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City
Are tickets available?
Tickets for three Wolves' home games are sold out on the team's site. For fans who want to travel to Oklahoma City, tickets are currently available on the Wolves' website.
How have the Wolves looked in the playoffs?
The Wolves have not looked as dominant as two straight gentleman's sweeps would suggest, but they're still playing solid ball. They're second-best in the West in both offensive (115.7) and defensive (108.1) rating this postseason. The Thunder lead them in both categories — 116.2 and 102.8, respectively — but they also had an easier first-round matchup.
Superstar Anthony Edwards is averaging 26.5 points a game, while his running mate Julius Randle is logging 23.9. Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels are also averaging double digits.
What happened in last year's Western Conference finals?
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks bounced the Wolves in five games. Two of the Wolves' losses came down to the wire, but the Mavericks were just flat-out the better team.
Who's left in the Eastern Conference?
In the East, the Indiana Pacers topped the Cleveland Cavaliers to make a second-straight conference finals.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks beat the Boston Celtics 4-2 in the other series.