2025 NBA playoffs: East and West conference finals takeaways

The finals of the American Professional League for 2025 have faded, as four teams fought to get a place in the finals.
Classification No. 1 Oklahoma City ThunderAfter a series of seven difficult matches against Denver NagsThe Western Conference Finals began on Tuesday night. Overpower Anthony Edwards And visit No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolvs In game 1 behind Gilgos Alexander tea3 points.
In the East, No. 3 New York Nix It will take the work number 4 Indiana Basars On Wednesday at Madison Square Garden with two stars in Teres Haleporton and Gallin Bronson Go to face in a very expected match. KNICKS and Paces will look at the first finals of their finals since 1999 and 2000, respectively.
With the confrontation of these elite teams, those familiar with the American Professional League dismantle their largest fast food from each match and what should be monitored in each of the conference’s confrontation.
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Tables and results | Leaderships outside the season
Western conference
Game 1: Thunder 114, Timberwolves 88
The largest fast food for thunder: The Oklahoma City defense bought thunder half before their top scorer settled in a rhythm. Thunder is only four points at the end of the first half, despite the two stars Gilgos Alexander tea and Gallin Williams Combining only 4 from 21 of the ground. After that, this synonym took control of control, surpassing Timberwolves itself in the third quarter and gathered them to record 21 to allow Oklahoma City to progress in double numbers. Chit Holmegren He scored nine points from 15 points in a wave early in the fourth quarter to keep Minnesota comfortably. The thunder defense, which is the first league unit in the league, remained unabated throughout the match. Oklahoma City Minnesota held 34.9 % of the shooting from the ground and forced 19 transformations that thunde turned into 31 points. Tim McMahon
The largest fast food for Timberwolves: If Timberwolves tells that they would control the first half and be absent from nearly twice the number of shots (17) as he made (10) before Tuesday, they wanted to chances in the game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. There was one problem: for the effectiveness of their defense, their crime was equally efficient. If you acquire 28 points of Julius Randle at 9-FOR-13, the minnesota mobilize only 60 points over 20 against 70 (28.6 %).
After building 48-44, it was presented during the first two quarters, it was barely a game after the end of the first half. The wolves led 60-56 with 7:22 to go on the third, and the thunder was returned with 17-2 round to open a two-number pillow heading to the fourth. The Minnesota seat support was not in particular, with Naz Reedand Donte DivinCenzo and Nikil Alexander Walker Combining the shooting only 7 for 36 (5 versus 28 of 3). The 23 -year -old Minnesota star Anthony Edwards He modified the left ankle in the first half and ended with 18 points in fire 5 against 13. Wolves have a lot of work that must be done in game 2, or they will stare in a deficit of 0-2 returning home for game 3. – Dave McMinamine
1:26
Anthony Edwards away from the best where he loses Timberwolves game 1
From an ankle injury to exacerbation, Anthony Edwards had a mixed performance in game 1 for thunder.
Game 2: Timberwolves in thunder (Thursday, 8:30 pm Easter, ESPN))
What do you see: Whether Minnesota can find a way to register in the paint. Timberwolves managed only 20 points, and linked the lowest number by any team during the qualifiers this year. The average Minnesota reached 51.6 points for each game in the paint and it started 72 points while closing Golden State Warriors In the game 5 on Wednesday – a playoff match High For any team.
It is striking that Oklahoma City withdrew this while reducing its size. Mark Digenolt, the coach of thunder in beginners from beginners Isaiah Hartnstein And Holmgren is less than eight minutes together – much less than 14.2 that reached the average of the qualifiers, For all advanced statistics in the American Professional League. After using Williams (listed in 6 feet and 8, 250) to defense Nicolas Gokic In the semi -finals of the conference, Daigneault went to the smallest Kenrich Williams (6 feet and 7, 210) as a backup center.
What was in Oklahoma City lacked size, thunder more than compensation with defense cheating and painting the paint. Oklahoma City dared to Timberwolves to make 3s, as did the nuggets in the last round. After Minnesota fired 5 out of 11 of the city center in the opening quarter, Timberolphs 10 went to 40 (25 %) the rest of the road.
Ironically, then, it may be the best hope for Minnesota registration at home is to hit more shots Outside. Timberwolves will definitely do so. Minnesota has achieved 35 % on 3S so far in the qualifiers after ranked fourth in the league by 38 % during the normal season. We will see how accurate Timberwolves is to remove thunder defense from the paint. Kevin Bilton