The 2025 NBA Western Conference Finals kicks off Tuesday night in Oklahoma City as it promises a battle between two of the league’s brightest young stars: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards. In what’s being dubbed SGA vs. Ant Man, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder face the resurgent No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves for a shot at the NBA Finals.

This marks the first postseason matchup between Gilgeous-Alexander and Edwards, two electrifying scorers who finished first and fourth, respectively, in league scoring this season. Both are 2024–25 Kia All-NBA Team candidates. Gilgeous-Alexander, a finalist for MVP, leads a Thunder squad that has evolved from a lottery team just three seasons ago to the top of the West with a 68-14 record. Meanwhile, Edwards has powered a Timberwolves franchise chasing its first-ever NBA Finals berth in its 36-year history.

A Tale of Two Climbs

For Minnesota, this series is about making history. The Timberwolves have made back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Finals after only one appearance in their first 34 seasons. With a win, they would become just the second No. 6 seed in the modern playoff format (since 1984) to reach the NBA Finals, joining the 1995 Houston Rockets.

Oklahoma City, on the other hand, is aiming to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012. It’s been a rapid ascent for the Thunder: from 24 wins in 2022, to the Play-In exit against Minnesota in 2023, to a dominant run this year that included series victories over Memphis and defending champions Denver.

New Faces on the Big Stage

Neither team features a player with an NBA championship, and only Thunder guard Alex Caruso has previous Finals experience (2020 with the Lakers). The same goes for the sidelines—head coaches Mark Daigneault (OKC) and Chris Finch (MIN), both former G League leaders, are making their first Conference Finals appearances.

Adding intrigue to the matchup is Julius Randle, who has revitalized Minnesota after missing last year’s postseason with the Knicks. The Timberwolves have gone 30-6 in games Randle has played, including an 8-2 playoff run so far.

Evenly Matched Rivals

The regular season showed just how close these teams are. They split their four meetings, and Minnesota outscored Oklahoma City by a razor-thin three points. Their most dramatic clash came on February 24, when the Timberwolves erased a 25-point third-quarter deficit and stunned the Thunder in overtime.

Defense Wins Championships

Both teams bring elite defenses into the series. OKC leads all playoff teams in defensive rating and forces the most turnovers, thanks to stoppers like Luguentz Dort, Alex Caruso, and Cason Wallace. Minnesota, anchored by Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and All-Defensive selection Jaden McDaniels, isn’t far behind.

A New Western Power Rises

No matter the outcome, the Western Conference will crown its sixth different Finals representative in as many seasons—a rarity not seen since the 1970s. Whether it’s Oklahoma City completing its rebuild or Minnesota breaking new ground, one thing is clear: the future of the NBA is now—and it’s wearing blue and white.

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals is set for 5:30pm PST (8:30am Manila time) in Oklahoma City.