logo
Wolves vs. Thunder odds, lines, betting: Oklahoma City opens as biggest Western Conference finals favorite in franchise history

Wolves vs. Thunder odds, lines, betting: Oklahoma City opens as biggest Western Conference finals favorite in franchise history

Yahoo19-05-2025

The Denver Nuggets gave the Oklahoma City Thunder all they could handle, but the Thunder prevailed 125-93 in Game 7 on Sunday to advance to the Western Conference finals.
They will face the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team returning to the conference finals for the second straight season after beating the Golden State Warriors in five games in the second round.
Oklahoma City opened as a big -375 favorite in the series at BetMGM, with the Timberwolves coming back as +300 underdogs. The Thunder are the biggest favorites in the conference finals in the franchise's history, even dating back to their Seattle SuperSonics days.
The SuperSonics were -270 favorites in the 1996 Western Conference finals series against the Utah Jazz, according to Sports Odds History's database and the Thunder were underdogs in their previous four conference finals appearances (2011, 2012, 2104, 2016).
After the Thunder went 55-23-4 against the spread (70.5%) this season — the best regular-season ATS in 35 years — they have struggled against the number in the playoffs, going just 4-7 ATS. The Timberwolves, on the other hand, have been terrific to bettors this postseason, going 8-2 against the number, including two outright wins as underdogs in their first-round series against LeBron James, Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Thunder are 7.5-point favorites at BetMGM in Game 1 in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night, with a total of 214.5.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

2025 NBA Finals: The incredible Paul George trades that turned the Pacers and Thunder into title contenders
2025 NBA Finals: The incredible Paul George trades that turned the Pacers and Thunder into title contenders

Yahoo

time15 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

2025 NBA Finals: The incredible Paul George trades that turned the Pacers and Thunder into title contenders

As it turns out, all you needed to do to reach the 2025 NBA Finals was trade Paul George. Remarkably, this year's Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers and Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder were both built from assets each team received in exchange for dealing George. How the Pacers built from trading Paul George Indiana selected George with the 10th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. He made four All-Star teams for the Pacers, leading them to a pair of conference finals appearances, before informing the franchise in 2017 that he was planning to sign elsewhere — preferably with the Los Angeles Lakers — in free agency. Advertisement Not wanting to lose George for nothing, Indiana dealt him to the Thunder on July 6, 2017, in exchange for a 25-year-old Victor Oladipo and a 21-year-old Domantas Sabonis. Both Oladipo and Sabonis developed into All-Stars under Indiana's watch, though as a tandem they peaked in a pair of first-round playoff exits. (Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports Illustration) By 2020, Oladipo had begun to experience the right knee problems that would ultimately end his career, so the Pacers flipped him to the Houston Rockets as part of the four-team trade that sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets. In return, Indiana received Caris LeVert and a pair of second-round draft picks. One of those second-rounders became the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 draft, which the Pacers packaged, along with the No. 29 overall pick in the same draft, for a 2024 first-round draft pick from ... the Thunder. That selection was one of two first-round draft picks that Indiana dealt to the Toronto Raptors in January 2024 in exchange for Pascal Siakam, this year's Eastern Conference finals MVP. Advertisement Meanwhile, the Pacers flipped LeVert to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a 2022 second-round draft pick, a 2023 first-round draft pick and a 2027 second-round draft pick. The first two of those picks became Andrew Nembhard and Ben Sheppard, a pair of rotation players for this year's conference champions. Sabonis played for the Pacers until February 2022, when at the deadline they dealt him and some ancillary assets to the Sacramento Kings for Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson. Haliburton, of course, has developed into an All-NBA point guard for the Pacers and their best player. Finally, Indiana flipped Hield to the Philadelphia 76ers at the 2024 trade deadline for a pair of second-round draft picks — the first of which they traded again, turning that selection into Johnny Furphy. Advertisement In one way or another, the Pacers turned George into Haliburton, Siakam, Nembhard, Sheppard and Furphy. That is roughly a third of Indiana's entire roster, half of its rotation and both of its leaders. How the Thunder built from trading Paul George George played two seasons for the Thunder — both first-round playoff exits. In July 2019, though, the Los Angeles Clippers came calling with an offer Oklahoma City could not refuse. The Clippers were trying to sign Kawhi Leonard in free agency, but the two-time Finals MVP wanted a star partner in L.A., so the organization went about the business of trying to pry George from the Thunder. Advertisement OKC executive Sam Presti squeezed the Clippers for everything he could, acquiring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and the rights to a handful of first-round draft picks in exchange for George. As if recouping Gilgeous-Alexander, this year's MVP, were not enough, one of those picks — the No. 12 selection in 2022 — became Jalen Williams, who has developed into an All-Star for Oklahoma City. Much of the rest of the package from the Clippers is tied up in this year's draft, as the Thunder own pick Nos. 15, 24 and 44 in June, all from assets they received in the George deal. Oklahoma City can use those selections to replenish whomever they lose from their rising salary costs over the next couple of years. Between Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and whoever is still to come, the Thunder have built from George a budding dynasty. First, though, they must get through what they traded to acquire George from Indiana.

Versatile Jerar Encarnación returns to Giants after March surgery on his broken left hand
Versatile Jerar Encarnación returns to Giants after March surgery on his broken left hand

Washington Post

time20 minutes ago

  • Washington Post

Versatile Jerar Encarnación returns to Giants after March surgery on his broken left hand

SAN FRANCISCO — Bob Melvin has been waiting for the chance to write Jerar Encarnación's name into San Francisco's lineup. The versatile Encarnación came off the 60-day injured list Monday and was available for the opener of a four-game series with the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park, though not yet in the starting lineup. Melvin hopes that he could start Tuesday — whether that's at first base or in right field.

Versatile Jerar Encarnación returns to Giants after March surgery on his broken left hand
Versatile Jerar Encarnación returns to Giants after March surgery on his broken left hand

Associated Press

time22 minutes ago

  • Associated Press

Versatile Jerar Encarnación returns to Giants after March surgery on his broken left hand

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bob Melvin has been waiting for the chance to write Jerar Encarnación's name into San Francisco's lineup. The versatile Encarnación came off the 60-day injured list Monday and was available for the opener of a four-game series with the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park, though not yet in the starting lineup. Melvin hopes that he could start Tuesday — whether that's at first base or in right field. Encarnación underwent surgery in March on his broken left hand after he was injured trying to make a diving catch during spring training. He batted .302 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in Cactus League play after hitting .248 with five home runs and 19 RBIs in 113 at-bats last year. 'We know he can give us some power and he's got power to all fields,' Melvin said. 'We saw it at the end of last year, we saw it in spring training. When we were about to leave spring training there were going to be a lot of at-bats for him.' The Giants could use a big boost at the plate, and Encarnación hopes to deliver. 'I'm just going to do what I'm able to do to contribute to the team,' said Encarnación, a Dominican Republic native who made his major league debut with Miami in 2022 and joined the Giants as a free agent last May. The Giants optioned outfielder Luis Matos to Triple-A Sacramento so he can further develop and play regularly. San Francisco returned home having dropped five of nine games on its road trip to Washington, Detroit and Miami. The Giants entered Monday having scored only 30 runs over their last 14 games — the club's fewest in such a stretch since being limited to 28 runs from June 20-July 5, 2013. 'That's the good thing about him is he can play multiple positions, he can pinch hit,' Melvin said. 'It's nice to have him back. Spring training we were talking about how impactful he was going to be. He was having a great spring and next thing you know he's out for a while. He feels good at the plate, he hit some home runs the last couple days, he's ready to go.' Encarnación has been eager to rejoin the Giants, but embraced his faith and that it took the time it did for him to fully recover and come back. He missed the first 59 games, then made seven rehab appearances with Triple-A Sacramento last week, playing three games at first base, starting two as designated hitter and two more in right field. 'I'm so happy and content that I'm here,' he said, before adding with a smile a few minutes later that he's 'great, muy bueno.' ___ AP MLB:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store