This Saturday sees the number one seed, Oklahoma City Thunder, gearing up to face the sixth seed, Minnesota Timberwolves, in Game 3 of the highly anticipated Western Conference Finals. The Thunder currently hold a decisive 2-0 lead in the series. The match, scheduled to broadcast live on ABC, will commence at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time at the Target Center.
The regular season witnessed a balanced duel between the two teams, as they shared the spoils, winning two games apiece. However, the tables have turned in the Western Conference Finals, with the Thunder establishing a firm grip on the series. Their blitzing start was evident in Game 1, where they sealed a convincing 114-88 victory.
Subsequently, in Game 2, the triumphant Thunder increased their advantage with another commanding victory over the Timberwolves, winning 118-103. The day following his endorsement as the league’s Most Valuable Player, Thunder’s guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up a scintillating performance as the leading scorer with a whopping 38 points. He achieved this feat with stunning efficiency, making 12 of his 21 attempts from the field and 13 of 15 free throws.
Apart from his scoring prowess, Gilgeous-Alexander also dished out 8 assists to further influence the outcome of the game. Forward Jalen Williams contributed significantly with a 26-point, 10-rebound double-double, and fellow forward Chet Holmgren bolstered the tally with his personal haul of 22 points. These stellar performances orchestrated the Thunder’s third consecutive win by a margin of no less than 15 points in the ongoing playoffs.
Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves’ guard, emerged as the highest scorer for his side with 32 points in Game 2, despite facing trouble with his long-range shooting. He could only convert 1 of his 9 attempts from beyond the arc. As a unit, the Timberwolves’ shooting efficiency stood at 41% from the field, and a paltry 28% from the three-point range, sinking only 11 of their 39 attempts.
When it comes to the odds for Thunder vs. Timberwolves, the dominant performance of the former makes them the favorites. Interestingly, injury news from both camps is currently non-existent, keeping the suspense and intrigue alive for this decisive Game 3.
The prediction for this encounter swings towards a Timberwolves’ win with a scoreline reading 108-104. Despite the Thunder’s ironclad dominance in the series so far, stats don’t lie, and the Timberwolves will be fighting tooth and nail to turn the tide in their favor.
The Thunder’s supremacy this season becomes evident when considering their road record. They stand victorious in 35 of their 45 road encounters, including the playoffs. The secret behind their overwhelming success can be traced to their potent defensive organization, which restricts their opposition to an average score of only 98.4 points per game in their ten playoff victories.
The Timberwolves, on the other hand, have faltered in their last four playoff matches, conceding 110 or more points each time. This comes after a string of games where they managed to hold their opposition under the centurion mark. The defeats in Game 1 and 2 mark a low point for them, as it denotes their first consecutive losses since March.
Revisiting historic trends presents worrisome figures for the Timberwolves, as they have avoided a three-game losing streak since a period dating back to January. Emphasizing on the point spread will reveal that Minnesota has been successful in covering the spread only three times throughout the season, even in the face of a loss.
Beyond the simple contest of victory, the betting angles also offer an interesting scenario. The game is set with a narrow 2.5-point line, hence rather than betting on the Timberwolves to cover in a tightly contested game, it seems more plausible to back the underdogs for an outright win at plus odds.
A glance at their recent scoring trends ushers in further insights. A mere two games out of the Timberwolves’ last eight have exceeded the 217 total points mark. The Thunder too, follow a similar pattern, with four of their last seven matches falling short of achieving a total of 218 points.