Game Preview #58 – Timberwolves vs. Thunder

The Timberwolves find themselves in the middle of a brutal four-game stretch against the Western Conference elites. Can the Wolves steal the first game of a two-game back-to-back with the league-leading OKC Thunder?

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Date: February 23rd, 2025
Time: 8:30 PM CST
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network North
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM/Wolves App/iHeart Radio

Timberwolves vs. Thunder: The Must-Win Game That Should Have Meant More

Well, here we are. The home-and-home back-to-back showdown with the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder that every Wolves fan circled when the schedule dropped last summer. Back then, we all thought this could be the stretch that determined the No. 1 seed in the West.

Fast forward to February 2025, and things could not be more different.

The Thunder are running away with the conference like a sports movie team that suddenly figured everything out in the second act. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves are barely keeping their heads above the play-in bubble, currently sitting in seventh place after blowing a golden opportunity in Houston on Friday night. The season hasn’t been a disaster, but it hasn’t been the title-contending march that Wolves fans dreamed of after last year’s Western Conference Finals run.

Now, this two-game battle with OKC is less about home-court advantage and more about survival.

Minnesota can’t let these two games bury them deeper in the standings. Even with the easiest schedule in the league down the stretch, things are rough right now. The Wolves are limping through a brutal four-game stretch against the Rockets, Thunder (twice), and Lakers—all with three of those four games on the road. That’s why Sunday night at Target Center is a must-win.

This is the only home game in this stretch, and it’s against a team the Wolves already beat just last week—back when they were missing half their roster. The stakes are clear: win, and you have some momentum heading into the final 25 games. Lose, and you might be staring at a four-game skid with your playoff position spiraling.

Keys to the Game: How the Wolves Can Hold Serve at Home

1. The Wolves’ Size Advantage Must Matter

Minnesota was without Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle in Houston. Gobert’s absence was a surprise, and now both are listed as game-time decisions.

This is a massive factor because OKC isn’t a huge team. If the Wolves can roll out their Gobert-Randle-Naz Reid frontcourt, they should be able to own the paint, clean up the glass, and punish OKC inside.

• Gobert needs to be a presence defensively against drives from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.
• Randle (if he plays) gives the Wolves another big body to throw at OKC’s interior defense and a secondary scoring option.
• Naz Reid needs to continue his hustle plays, rebounding, and three-point shooting.

If the Wolves don’t have Gobert and Randle again, the game plan changes. Minnesota’s wings have to win this one with defense, energy, and perimeter scoring.

2. Swarming Perimeter Defense on SGA

Let’s be honest: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is nearly unstoppable. The Wolves slowed him down last time by throwing a rotation of long, athletic defenders at him. Expect to see plenty of:

• Jaden McDaniels—the Wolves’ best pure perimeter defender.
• Nikhil Alexander-Walker—who takes these matchups personally.
• Jalen Clark—who has been an absolute menace on defense lately.

SGA will still get his points, but the Wolves have to make him work for every bucket. If he’s coasting into the paint with ease, this game gets out of hand.

3. Anthony Edwards Needs to Be the Best Player on the Floor

Edwards had a span of three straight 40-point games and was rolling before the All-Star break. He started hot against Houston—15 in the first quarter, 23 by halftime—but stalled out in the second half.

If the Wolves are going to win this one, Edwards has to be the best player on the floor.

That means:

• Mixing up his scoring—hitting threes, driving to the hoop, and getting to the free-throw line.
• Not forcing hero-ball shots—finding teammates when OKC throws extra defenders at him.
• Keeping his energy up for four quarters.

Edwards loves big games, big matchups, and proving himself against the best. This is one of those games.

4. No More Disastrous Scoring Droughts

The Wolves completely collapsed down the stretch in the fourth quarter against Houston. They couldn’t hit a shot, the ball stopped moving, and their offensive rhythm evaporated.

This cannot happen again.

If Edwards is getting swarmed, the Wolves need:

• McDaniels to hit his open threes.
• Reid to provide inside-out scoring.
• Conley to manage the offense and keep the ball moving.

These are the moments where Donte DiVincenzo’s absence hurts—he’s a guy who can bail out bad possessions with his shot-making. Someone else needs to step up.

Final Thoughts: Win This One, or Things Get Ugly

There’s no sugarcoating this: the Wolves are in a dangerous spot.

They badly need to win at least two of these four games against Houston, OKC (twice), and the Lakers.

They already lost to Houston.

They’re playing the best team in the league twice.

They’re about to face a Lakers team that is fully healthy and now features Luka Doncic.

Lose Sunday, and the Wolves are staring at a potential 0-4 skid.

But if they win? Suddenly, they have a little momentum. They get a shot at taking the OKC series, then they get the Lakers in LA.

This game is winnable.

They’ve already beaten OKC once.

They’re at home.

They might get Gobert and Randle back.

Edwards is playing the best basketball of his career.

If the Wolves want to be more than a play-in team, this is a game they need to win.

Let’s see if they bring it.