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The 2025 Western Conference Finals have delivered an exciting clash between two young teams—the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Heading into Game 5, the Thunder hold a 3-1 lead in the series, with their sights set on closing things out and advancing to the NBA Finals.
However, the Timberwolves are far from done, and Game 5 could be a turning point if Minnesota can replicate their Game 3 magic.
The series tipped off in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder capitalized on home-court advantage and momentum. Game 1 was a showcase for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He lit up the scoreboard with 31 points, 5 rebounds and 9 assists. The Timberwolves fought valiantly but couldn’t keep up. Despite a solid 28-point, eight-rebound performance from Julius Randle, Minnesota fell short, losing 114-88.
Game 2 followed a similar script. Oklahoma City again leaned on Gilgeous-Alexander, who poured in 38 points and distributed 8 assists. His poise and leadership have been crucial in this series, elevating the Thunder to another level. Minnesota still struggled to match the Thunder’s pace and firepower. Edwards managed 32 points, but the rest of the team couldn’t offer enough support outside of Jaden McDaniels, who chipped in with 22 points, and the Wolves dropped the game 118-103, falling behind 0-2 in the series.
Back on their home court, the Timberwolves delivered a resounding response in Game 3. Minnesota played with urgency, energy and precision from the opening tip. Edwards was electric, finishing with 30 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists in just three quarters. His performance set the tone for a night that saw nearly everything go right for the Timberwolves.
Julius Randle, provided a big boost, adding 24 points and helping stretch the Thunder defense. The rookie Terrance Shannon Jr. added 15 points in 15 minutes off the bench. Minnesota ended up setting a new franchise playoff scoring record with a 143-101 blowout win, cutting the series deficit to 2-1 and proving they still had plenty of fight left.
Game 4, however, saw Oklahoma City regain control of the series. Once again, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stepped up with another stellar outing, finishing with 40 points, and the Thunder’s supporting cast rose to the occasion. Jalen Williams added 34 points, while Chet Holmgren contributed 21 points. Despite the Timberwolves’ best efforts to build on their Game 3 performance, they couldn’t match the Thunder’s balanced attack and fell behind 3-1 in the series, losing 128-126.
Our top pick tonight is Anthony Edwards. Edwards is Minnesota’s engine, and with their backs against the wall in Game 5, he’ll likely log heavy minutes and see a usage rate north of 30%. He’s shown the ability to explode for 30+ points when he’s locked in, including two games in this series. In elimination games, stars tend to shine the brightest, and Edwards is the top play tonight.
There’s no safer DFS option in this series than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Averaging over 35 points per game in the series and consistently contributing in rebounds, assists, and steals, SGA is an all-around fantasy powerhouse. His ability to draw fouls, create his own shot and run the offense makes him a must-have. As the Thunder look to close out the series at home, expect SGA to be aggressive and continue his MVP-level production.
A few other options are Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels. While Randle is not as flashy as Edwards, he provides scoring, rebounding and secondary playmaking. In Game 3, he tallied 24 points in a blowout win and should remain a focal point of Minnesota’s offense. But in Game 4, he finished with just 5 points. He’s a solid mid-range DFS option, as he hopes to bounce back.
McDaniels is a sneaky DFS pick. Though not a high-usage offensive player, he brings value with his defensive stats, including steals, blocks and rebounds. In a game where the Timberwolves need to bring their best defensive effort, McDaniels could see increased minutes, especially if he’s tasked with guarding MVP SGA. If he contributes a few three-pointers along with his defensive stats, he could easily exceed value. But remember, our top play of the night is Anthony Edwards to keep the Timberwolves alive.
Dylan has had a love for sports since he was a kid. Four years ago, he decided to dive into the sports content-creating industry specializing in Fantasy Football, NFL and NBA. He has since had his work published on sites that include Fantasy Alarm, Fansided, and Fantasy Six Pack.