Getty Images
The second round is set in the 2025 NBA playoff bracket. The West has a familiar look as the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves are all in the second round for the second year in a row. There will be a new Western Conference champion, however, because the Golden State Warriors have replaced the Dallas Mavericks, who went to the Finals last season.
The Thunder — who lost to the Mavs last year in this round — square off with the Nuggets this time around. The Timberwolves will face the Warriors, who won a Game 7 over the Rockets on Sunday night to advance.
The Thunder and Wolves are favored to advance to the Western Conference finals, but we know anything can happen in the playoffs. Here are our expert picks for the West’s second-round matchups.
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Denver Nuggets
Series odds (via FanDuel): Thunder -900, Nuggets +610
Botkin: Thunder in 6. Oklahoma City is way too deep for the Nuggets to keep up with, and they are going to carve up Denver’s defense. I’m fascinated by just how far the best player in the game can push the best team in the game, but in the end OKC just has too much firepower on both sides of the ball.
Herbert: Thunder in 6. I can see the Nuggets taking a couple of games if and when OKC goes cold from 3-point range. If Isaiah Hartenstein stays out of foul trouble, though, this could be too generous to Denver. The Thunder are a juggernaut, particularly on defense, and I can’t wait to see Nikola Jokić try to solve this puzzle.
Maloney: Thunder in 5. The Nuggets have Nikola Jokić, and I won’t argue with anyone who thinks he can extend this series. But the Thunder are just a better team and have too many advantages — rest, health, home court, depth, defense — that will add up and overwhelm the Nuggets.
Quinn: Thunder in 5. I can’t in good conscience pick a sweep in a series that includes Nikola Jokić, but this is a mismatch at just about every other spot. The Thunder are deeper, they defend better at every position, they can play true five-out lineups unlike the Clippers. This one is just a mismatch, and Oklahoma City should take it comfortably enough.
Ward-Henninger: Thunder in 5. Pulling things together after what looked like a downward spiral is a great story for the Nuggets, but let’s get serious. This as an absolute machine they’re about to run into, and no matter how great Nikola Jokić is, Denver just doesn’t have the horses to compete on a nightly basis. Should be a quick series for OKC.
Wimbish: Thunder in 6. We already saw in the first round how Denver’s lack of depth was a problem. It might have lost them the series had they not been playing against Game 7 James Harden. The Thunder don’t have that problem. In fact, OKC has very few, if any, weaknesse. The Thunder have the size to throw at Nikola Jokić, while employing several All-Defensive players who can make like difficult for Jokić and Murray.
No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 7 Golden State Warriors
Series odds (via FanDuel): Timberwolves -178, Warriors +150
Botkin: Timberwolves in 6. The Wolves will pose all the same problems for Golden State that Houston did with athletic, physical defense and a major size advantage. But the Wolves also have the superstar scorer in Anthony Edwards that the Rockets lacked. Golden State will fight. We know that. But the run ends here.
Herbert: Warriors in 7. Are the Wolves bigger, younger and deeper than Golden State? You’re damn right they are. But I can’t quit the Warriors. I feel kind of insane making this pick, but I think the Rockets series prepared them pretty well for this one. I trust their defense, and if they take care of the ball and are intentional about their spacing, they can score enough to get by.
Maloney: Timberwolves in 7. These teams are much closer than their respective first-round series results may indicate and I’ve gone back and forth on this one. It’s hard to pick against Steph Curry in the playoffs, but ultimately, the Timberwolves pose many of the same challenges that the Rockets did for the Warriors in terms of athletic, physical defenders, while also boasting an actual elite offensive engine in Anthony Edwards. The Wolves’ young star will be the difference.
Quinn: Timberwolves in 7. Houston showed just how much trouble size and physicality can pose for the Warriors. The Timberwolves offer plenty of it, but as a much more well-rounded team. Anthony Edwards can actually lead a half-court offense. The Timberwolves have much more shooting, and once again, the Warriors will start this series on the road. It’ll be tight, but I give Minnesota the slight edge.
Ward-Henninger: Warriors in 7. Fill it up again! The Warriors struggled with a younger, more athletic, more physical team in Round 1. And guess what? When it came down to crunch time it was Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green delivering time and time again. Will the Wolves blow out Golden State a couple times? Probably. But when the games are close, as most will be, it’s advantage Warriors.
Wimbish: Timberwolves in 6. If we thought Rudy Gobert feasted on the Lakers in Game 5 of the first round, he might be having Thanksgiving dinner every game against an undersized Warriors team. Yes, betting against Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green has proven unwise nearly every time, but I don’t think the Warriors have enough to beat this Minnesota team four times.
