2025 NBA playoff bracket, scores, NBA Finals schedule: Thunder knock out Wolves to win West

The Thunder are in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012

By Brad Botkin

4 hrs ago • 4 min read

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012. The Thunder eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday, winning the West for the first time in 13 years. The Thunder await either the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks in the 2025 NBA Finals, which start next Thursday in OKC. The Thunder, who won 68 games in the regular season and are now 12-4 in the playoffs, are the heavy favorites to win the title (-600 at Caesars Sportsbook).

The Thunder blew out the Wolves in Wednesday's Game 5, jumping out to a 17-point lead at the end of the first quarter and never looking back. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will now try to become the first player to win the MVP award and an NBA title in the same season since Stephen Curry pulled off the feat in 2015.

In the East, the Pacers are one win away from joining the Thunder in the Finals. Indiana will have a chance to close out the ECF against the Knicks on Thursday night as New York hosts Game 5 at Madison Square Garden. The Pacers won twice at MSG to begin the series and won again in Tuesday's Game 4.

The postseason field has now been whittled from 20 teams down to three. The Kings, Mavericks, Bulls and Hawks were ousted in the Play-In Tournament. The Grizzlies, Clippers, Lakers, Rockets, Heat, Bucks, Pistons and Magic lost in the first round, and the Nuggets, Warriors, Cavaliers and Celtics made it to the second round before bowing out.

2025 NBA playoff bracket

2025 NBA playoffs: Conference finals schedule

All times Eastern

Tuesday, May 20
Game 1: Thunder 114, Timberwolves 88

Wednesday, May 21
Game 1: Pacers 138, Knicks 135 (OT)

Thursday, May 22
Game 2: Thunder 118, Timberwolves 103

Friday, May 23
Game 2: Pacers 114, Knicks 109

Saturday, May 24
Game 3: Timberwolves 143, Thunder 101

Sunday, May 25
Game 3: Knicks 106, Pacers 100

Monday, May 26
Game 4: Thunder 128, Timberwolves 126

Tuesday, May 27
Game 4: Pacers 130, Knicks 121 (Indiana leads 3-1)

Wednesday, May 28
Game 5: Thunder 124, Timberwolves 94 (OKC wins 4-1)

Thursday, May 29
Game 5: Knicks vs. Pacers, 8 p.m., TNT/Max

Saturday, May 31
*Game 6: Pacers vs. Knicks, 8 p.m., TNT/Max

Monday, June 2
*Game 7: Knicks vs. Pacers, 8 p.m., TNT/Max

2025 NBA Finals schedule

Thursday, June 5
Game 1: Thunder vs. Knicks/Pacers, 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo

Sunday, June 8
Game 2: Thunder vs. Knicks/Pacers, 8 p.m., ABC/fubo

Wednesday, June 11
Game 3: Knicks/Pacers vs. Thunder, 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo

Friday, June 13
Game 4: Knicks/Pacers vs. Thunder, 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo

Monday, June 16
*Game 5: Thunder vs. Knicks/Pacers, 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo

Thursday, June 19
*Game 6: Knicks/Pacers vs. Thunder, 8:30 p.m., ABC/fubo

Sunday, June 22
*Game 7: Thunder vs. Knicks/Pacers, 8 p.m., ABC/fubo

2025 NBA playoffs: Second-round schedule, scores

All times Eastern

Sunday, May 4
Game 1: Pacers 121, Cavaliers 112

Monday, May 5
Game 1: Knicks 108, Celtics 105 (OT)
Game 1: Nuggets 121, Thunder 119

Tuesday, May 6
Game 2: Pacers 120, Cavaliers 119
Game 1: Warriors 99, Timberwolves 88

Wednesday, May 7
Game 2: Knicks 91, Celtics 90
Game 2: Thunder 149, Nuggets 106

Thursday, May 8
Game 2: Timberwolves 117, Warriors 93

Friday, May 9
Game 3: Cavaliers 126, Pacers 104
Game 3: Nuggets 113, Thunder 104 (OT)

Saturday, May 10
Game 3: Celtics 115, Knicks 93
Game 3: Timberwolves 102, Warriors 97

Sunday, May 11
Game 4: Thunder 92, Nuggets 87
Game 4: Pacers 129, Cavaliers 109

Monday, May 12
Game 4: Knicks 121, Celtics 113
Game 4: Timberwolves 117, Warriors 110

Tuesday, May 13
Game 5: Pacers 114, Cavaliers 105 (Indiana wins 4-1)
Game 5: Thunder 112, Nuggets 105

Wednesday, May 14
Game 5: Celtics 127, Knicks 102
Game 5: Timberwolves 121, Warriors 110 (Minnesota wins 4-1)

Thursday, May 15
Game 6: Nuggets 119, Thunder 107

Friday, May 16
Game 6: Knicks 119, Celtics 81 (New York wins 4-2)

Sunday, May 18
Game 7: Thunder 125, Nuggets 93 (OKC wins 4-3)

2025 NBA playoffs: First-round scores

Saturday, April 19
Game 1: Pacers 117, Bucks 98
Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110 (OT)
Game 1: Knicks 123, Pistons 112
Game 1: Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95

Sunday, April 20
Game 1: Thunder 131, Grizzlies 80
Game 1: Celtics 103, Magic 86
Game 1: Cavaliers 121, Heat 100
Game 1: Warriors 95, Rockets 85

Monday, April 21
Game 2: Pistons 100, Knicks 94
Game 2: Clippers 105, Nuggets 102

Tuesday, April 22
Game 2: Pacers 125, Bucks 115
Game 2: Thunder 118, Grizzlies 99
Game 2: Lakers 94, Timberwolves 85

Wednesday, April 23
Game 2: Celtics 109, Magic 100
Game 2: Cavaliers 121, Heat, 112
Game 2: Rockets 109, Warriors 94

Thursday, April 24
Game 3: Knicks 118, Pistons 116
Game 3: Thunder 114, Grizzlies 108
Game 3: Clippers 117, Nuggets 83

Friday, April 25
Game 3: Magic 95, Celtics 93
Game 3: Bucks 117, Pacers 101
Game 3: Timberwolves 116, Lakers 104

Saturday, April 26
Game 3: Cavaliers 124, Heat 87
Game 4: Thunder 117, Grizzlies 115 (Oklahoma City wins 4-0)
Game 4: Nuggets 101, Clippers 99
Game 3: Warriors 104, Rockets 93

Sunday, April 27
Game 4: Knicks 94, Pistons 93
Game 4: Timberwolves 116, Lakers 113
Game 4: Celtics 107, Magic 98
Game 4: Pacers 129, Bucks 103

Monday, April 28
Game 4: Cavaliers 138, Heat 83 (Cleveland wins 4-0)
Game 4: Warriors 109, Rockets 106

Tuesday, April 29
Game 5: Pacers 119, Bucks 118 (Indiana wins 4-1)
Game 5: Pistons 106, Knicks 103
Game 5: Celtics 120, Magic 89 (Boston wins 4-1)
Game 5: Nuggets 131, Clippers 115

Wednesday, April 30
Game 5: Rockets 131, Warriors 116
Game 5: Timberwolves 103, Lakers 96 (Minnesota wins 4-1)

Thursday, May 1
Game 6: Knicks 116, Pistons 113 (New York wins 4-2)
Game 6: Clippers 111, Nuggets 105 (Series tied, 3-3)

Friday, May 2
Game 6: Rockets 115, Warriors 107

Saturday, May 3
Game 7: Nuggets 120, Clippers 101 (Denver wins 4-3)

Sunday, May 4
Game 7: Warriors 103, Rockets 89 (Golden State wins 4-3)