**Thunder and Timberwolves Set to Clash in Western Conference Finals**

The Western Conference finals are set to kick off Tuesday night in Oklahoma City as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves vie for a coveted spot in the NBA Finals. This highly anticipated matchup features the Thunder, who last made it to the NBA Finals in 2012, and the Timberwolves, a team eager for their first-ever Finals appearance.

Oklahoma City has dominated the Western Conference throughout the season, finishing as the top seed with an impressive 68 regular-season wins. They breezed through the first round of the playoffs, sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies. However, the Thunder faced a tougher challenge in the second round against Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets, eventually prevailing in a decisive Game 7. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, likely the NBA MVP, has been instrumental in the Thunder's success, notching 35 points on 12-of-19 shooting in that critical final game against Denver.

Meanwhile, the Timberwolves have made a strong playoff run, eliminating the Lakers and Warriors en route to their second consecutive Western Conference finals appearance. Minnesota has an 8-2 playoff record so far, overcoming a Game 1 loss to Golden State by winning four straight games, aided by Stephen Curry's absence due to a hamstring strain. Anthony Edwards has been the driving force for the Timberwolves, looking to erase the disappointment of last year's five-game series loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the conference finals.

The series promises to be a thrilling contest with high stakes for both teams. Below is the complete schedule for the Western Conference finals:

- Game 1: Tuesday, May 20 | Timberwolves vs. Thunder | 8:30 p.m., ESPN/ fubo
- Game 2: Thursday, May 22 | Timberwolves vs. Thunder | 8:30 p.m., ESPN/ fubo
- Game 3: Saturday, May 24 | Thunder vs. Timberwolves | 8:30 p.m., ABC/ fubo
- Game 4: Monday, May 26 | Thunder vs. Timberwolves | 8:30 p.m., ESPN/ fubo
- *Game 5: Wednesday, May 28 | Timberwolves vs. Thunder | 8:30 p.m., ESPN/ fubo
- *Game 6: Friday, May 30 | Thunder vs. Timberwolves | 8:30 p.m., ESPN/ fubo
- *Game 7: Sunday, June 1 | Timberwolves vs. Thunder | 8 p.m., ESPN/ fubo

The odds favor the Thunder, with series odds set at Thunder -330 and Timberwolves +265 and OKC as a 7.5-point favorite for Game 1 with an over/under of 214 points. As the two teams prepare for this monumental showdown, fans can expect an exhilarating series filled with intense competition and electrifying performances.