Thunder ready for western conference finals showdown against Timberwolves

After an electrifying Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets, the Oklahoma City Thunder are back at the Paycom Center and preparing for their next challenge: the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals.

The Thunder closed out their series with Denver on Sunday and now turn their attention to a Timberwolves squad that’s already knocked out some of the NBA’s biggest names, including LeBron James and Stephen Curry.

News 9’s Thunder reporter Steve McGehee, reporting live from the Paycom Center, says fans can expect a fierce battle.

“After two weeks of the Denver Nuggets, I was ready to see someone else,” McGehee said. “In my opinion, Denver has the better starting five, but overall, Minnesota is the better team. This will be a tremendous challenge for Oklahoma City.”

Minnesota enters the series with momentum and playoff experience, having reached this same stage last year before falling to Dallas. Since then, the Wolves have played with a noticeable grudge. This postseason, they've eliminated the Lakers and Warriors, and now look to topple one of the league’s hottest teams.

Timberwolves forward Julius Randle emphasized the team’s confidence heading into the series:

“We’ve got a 68-win team. We’ve been playing great basketball all year. I said before, winning is beating everybody, so why not these guys, too?”

The season series between the Thunder and Timberwolves ended in a 2-2 tie, but both teams were missing key players in several of those matchups. With rosters now at full strength, Game 1 promises a clearer picture of what fans can expect from this Western Conference Finals clash.

Thunder fans are still riding the emotional rollercoaster of the Denver series, but as McGehee put it, “We’re back, baby.”

Tip-off for Game 1 is set for Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Paycom Center in downtown Oklahoma City.