NBA Playoffs 2024/25, Conference Finals, Game 5, Thursday, May 29, 2025, 2:30 a.m.
Once I have registered with Oddset, I will go to the basketball section to put my Thunder Timberwolves tip to the test at the bookmaker in question.
What does it look like? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the linchpin of the Thunder’s offense and should be able to score a double-double – most likely one with points and assists!
Oklahoma City is now just one win away from reaching the finals. The 128-126 away win in Minneapolis was a statement – not because everything went perfectly, but because it was a game that characterizes top teams.
No matter how hard Minnesota fought back, when it came down to it, OKC simply had the better answers. And most of the time, the answer came in the form of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The MVP looked like someone who had made up his mind after Game 3. And he delivered.
40 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds – and above all: calm. Whenever things started to get hectic, Shai was there, controlling the tempo and not letting fouls and whistles throw him off his game.
The fact that he was allowed to step up to the line 14 times was no coincidence, but a reflection of his game intelligence. The Wolves knew what was coming – but they couldn’t stop it.
And because Shai wasn’t alone this time, with Jalen Williams adding 34 points, Minnesota fell behind early. Particularly bitter: Anthony Edwards, supposed to be the big leader, was barely given any breathing room.
Coach Daigneault’s game plan was clear: put pressure on Edwards and bring in Chet for help as soon as he dribbles. The result? Edwards took just two shots in the first half.
And that’s no coincidence, but the result of aggressive, clever defense. We’ve known for a long time that the Thunder can do this – they weren’t the strongest defensive team in the regular season for nothing.
But it was impressive to see how consistently they did it for 48 minutes. Even when Edwards got a little more access later on, his impact on the game was minimal. No comparison to his gala performances against Denver or Phoenix.
The picture was completely different on the other side: OKC shot 53 percent from the field, had more rebounds, fewer turnovers – and again and again there were those sequences where you thought: Okay, now it’s going to tip.
And then came a block from Holmgren, a drive from Williams or a mid-range dagger from Shai.
The game remained close, yes – but at no point did you feel that Minnesota could take control. They simply lacked the structure to do so. And that brings us to the extremely disappointing Julius Randle …
What happened there? Randle was already being touted as the X-factor in this series, someone who could pull apart OKC’s big man defense. But the opposite was true.
Randle finished with 5 points. In words: five. He also had four turnovers and was almost completely taken out of the game in the second half. Why? Because OKC knows exactly how to stop him. As soon as he dribbles, the pressure comes.
No clear ball movement, no freedom to make decisions, no rhythm shots. And because Minnesota doesn’t have a real floor general, Randle often has to serve as point forward – a role for which he is simply unsuited against this defense.
Randle was terrible! And there’s no sugarcoating it. For the second time in this series, Randle was “coached away.” And the fact that he remains inconsistent despite his playoff experience is likely to take a mental toll. In any case, his body language was anything but convincing.
My recommendation for you on the Betano app: Bet on Julius Randle to score under 17.5 points at current odds of 1.80. The Thunder are once again not giving him any space, Coach Finch is losing confidence, and Randle remains a footnote.
Conclusion: The Thunder show more presence in the decisive moments – and with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who seems to be involved in every other basket, they have a real difference maker.
Thanks to their coach’s finesse, they will make life difficult for the Timberwolves and do exactly what is necessary to secure the next victory and advance to the finals.
One player in particular will attract attention…
My Thunder Timberwolves prediction: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with a double-double!
