Game Preview #56 – Timberwolves vs. Thunder

On February 14, 2025By Littum

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Date: 13 February 2025
Time: 19:30 cst
Location: Rocket Mortgage Field House
Television Coverage: TNT/TRUTV/MAX
Radio cover: Kfan FM/Wolves App/Iheart Radio

Timberwolves vs. Thunder: A scale game in Gauntlet Stretch

Okay, timberwolves fans – this will be fun. Or exhausting. Probably both. Minnesota against Oklahoma City in Target Center on Thursday night and we dive into this preview completely blind. Why? Because I have an early morning flight to catch Thursday and I write this up before the wolves even tips against bucks on Wednesday. Maybe Wolves took care of the business against a Giannis-less Milwaukee team, or maybe they threw up a dud and left everyone in the Target Center and stared at the floor of awkward silence. Either way, the other half of this back-to-back is a big one.

So let’s skip the contribution we don’t know yet and go directly to what means something-wolves facing the western conference-leading thunder in what feels like a scale game for this Minnesota team. If there is ever time to throw on the hard hat and dig deeply, it is now.

The schedule from hell

The one who made the NBA time plan really needs to hate Timberwolves. Just look at this stretch. Cavs, Bucks, Thunder, Rockets, Thunder Again (twice!), Then Lakers. It’s like a video game where all the level chief becomes harder and the final boss is LeBron, Luka and the ghost of the Showtime era Pat Riley.

To make things worse, the wolves are missing key pieces like Julius Randle and Donte Divincenzo. Both of these guys would have been useful against Thunder, which has length, athletics and youth – essentially the perfect cocktail for chaos. But it’s NBA, right? No excuses. If the wolves want to prove that they belong in the top joint of the West, this is their chance.

Keys to the game: What the Wolves have to do to win

1. Anthony Edwards should go supernova

There is no dance around it: Ant-Man has to be the best player on the field. Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has played at an MVP level all season. He is the guy who destroys your night with a quiet 35 points and leaves you and asks, “Wait, how did it happen?”

But Edwards have been at another level recently. Three equal 40-point games? If Edwards can go toe to toe with SGA and surpass him, the wolves have a legitimate shot to steal this one. We need aggressive ant-at-fed edge, make mistakes, get to the free-casting line and hit shots over the arch. Bonus points if he throws one of the dunks that causes the target center to shake like an old Wrestlemania the audience.

2. Win the match on the boards

No Randle means that the wolves are a little thin in frontcourt, which puts the limelight on Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid. They have to dominate the glass. Limit Oklahoma City’s second chance point and create some ease to wolves at the other end. Rudy can not just be a defensive presence – he also needs to contribute to offense. Put him up to lobes, clean up and get the high percentage of buckets.

If GOBERT CAN OUTWORK OKCS BIG, it can be the difference between a close victory and a frustrating loss.

3. Protect the perimeter as your life depends on that

Thunder loves to shoot. Shai is a murderer from the middle area and his supportive role crew can hit open appearance if you are not aware. This is where Jaden McDaniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaylen Clark have to shine.

Close hard. Compete each shot. Forcing the thunder to hard mid -class jumpers. The wolves can’t afford to let OKC get warm from deep, especially on tired legs under a back-to-back.

4. Depth and energy case

Both teams play on no rest. The wolves have the home-ground advantage while the thunder has to jump on an escape in the evening from OKC. It’s an edge minnesota can’t waste.

High energy guys like McDaniels, Clark and Alexander-Walker have to bring it early. Be creepy. Fight for loose balls. Catch the thunder away and make them work for everything.

If the wolves can utilize the “fourth quarter against Portland” energy, they might just overwhelm OKC before they even realize what hit them.

Why this game matters

It’s easy to reject this game as “just another February -Matchup”, but it’s far greater than that. The wolves and thunder will see a lot of each other over the next few weeks. A win here gives Minnesota a certain confidence that goes into the brutal post-all-star stretch.

More importantly, it keeps them in search of a top-six seed and avoids the dreaded play-in tournament. There is still a path for wolves to climb into the top four and secure home ground advantage in the first round. But that path gets much harder if they can’t steal a game or two from OKC.

Prediction: Can the wolves steal one?

If Anthony Edwards are healthy and plays as he has for the past few weeks I like Wolves’ chances. If he is limited or has a off evening it can get ugly fast.

Let’s say Ant Drops 35, Rudy grabs 16 rebounds, and Jaden McDaniels chips in with 18 points and somewhat suffocating defense. That’s the formula for a win.

Forecast? Wolves 113, Thunder 109.