Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the NBA match.
The Oklahoma City Thunder became the first team in this series to break the home-court pattern, edging out the Minnesota Timberwolves (128:126) on the road. That win in Minneapolis could prove decisive in the Western Conference Finals. Given the current momentum, it’s possible that the Minnesota Timberwolves have played their final game at the Target Center this season.
Oklahoma City Thunder
This series has taken some unexpected turns. On home court, the Oklahoma City Thunder made the Minnesota Timberwolves look disjointed in both games. Game 3 told a different story, as the Oklahoma City Thunder struggled to establish any rhythm while the Minnesota Timberwolves appeared to have figured out how to neutralise Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his teammates. However, Game 4 quickly flipped the script again—both teams delivered high-level performances, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander exploded for 40 points, Jalen Williams contributed 34, and the Oklahoma City Thunder hit 43% of their shots from beyond the arc. After such an outing, the Thunder will be aiming to wrap up the series at home and gain crucial preparation time ahead of the Finals.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves stayed in the game largely thanks to a barrage of corner threes from their supporting cast. The leading scorers were Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jaden McDaniels, and Donte DiVincenzo. Their shooting was fearless—even under pressure—but replicating that output away from home seems unlikely. Jaden McDaniels shoots just 28% from long range on the road compared to 38.4% at home, while Donte DiVincenzo also sees a drop-off in accuracy, from 42.8% down to 36.8%. Anthony Edwards was effectively contained and for long stretches couldn't even get his shot off; he was forced into a facilitating role, drawing defenders and distributing to open teammates. The mention of Julius Randle among the team leaders at this point feels misplaced—he managed just five points on 1-of-7 shooting in a must-win game.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Minnesota Timberwolves Prediction
Up against a well-rounded, talented and fully fit squad, the Minnesota Timberwolves have struggled to make an impact on the road. In this series alone, they’ve lost away games by a combined margin of −41. The Oklahoma City Thunder, on the other hand, have won seven of their last eight at home, with six of those victories coming by double digits. We’re backing the Oklahoma City Thunder to deliver another convincing performance.
