Timberwolves vs. Thunder odds, betting: Best bets for the Western Conference finals

Timberwolves vs. Thunder odds, betting: Best bets for the Western Conference finals

The Oklahoma City Thunder were the NBA's best team in the regular season, compiling a franchise-record 68 wins en route to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves took a while to adjust to a stunning pre-training camp trade of Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks, but have found their footing in the2025 NBA playoffs, beating each the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in five games. The two teams meet in the Western Conference finals with the Thunder as huge -350 favorites atBetMGM, thefirst time in the Thunder era they have been favored in a conference finalsin their fifth trip. It's also the biggest favorite the combined Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder franchise has been in a conference finals since the Sonics started playing in 1967, according toSports Odds History's database. It's third time the Wolves have reached the conference finals in franchise history and the second straight season they've reached this round. Minnesota lost to the Dallas Mavericks in five games last season in the conference finals. Yahoo Sports askedhandicapper Michael Fiddlefor his thoughts on the Thunder-Wolves series and his best bets: Fiddle:"I like the Thunder to win the series, but I think the best bet is to play the NBA Finals future because both teams have matchup advantages versus Eastern Conference opponents. One of my favorite bets available right now is Thunder to win title -160 or better, and a big reason for that is understanding patterns in the market. We have seen a little bit of a downgrade in the Oklahoma City power rating after going seven games with the Nuggets, but Denver covered four games in the series. I disagree with [the move]. There has also been consistent late action on Oklahoma City, bringing the spread out further. When they were -4.5 on the road in Game 6, it went to -5.5 right before tip. The late movers have come in on the Thunder, so I want to get in early. "I'm comfortable with the Thunder -7.5 in Game 1. I think it closes -8.5. I think the biggest matchup angle is if Chet Holmgren plays equal or better than Julius Randle, then I'm not sure how the Wolves have a chance. If Chet plays a little better, this should be a resounding Thunder win. I think Lou Dort will start on Anthony Edwards, with Lou Dort and Alex Caruso mixed, but the amount of different looks and concepts to throw at Ant because of how versatile the Thunder are is a different level of beast than the Warriors and Lakers. This is a colossal upgrade in the defense he'll face, and I don't think that the lack of rest hurts the Thunder much." Best bets:Thunder to win NBA Finals at -160 or better; Thunder -7.5 in Game 1

byKevin Jones

in

May 19, 2025

Timberwolves vs. Thunder odds, betting: Best bets for the Western Conference finals

Timberwolves vs. Thunder odds, betting: Best bets for the Western Conference finals The Oklahoma City Thunder were the NBA's best team i...

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Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence doesn't feel 'stuck' in bad plays in latest offense

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence doesn't feel 'stuck' in bad plays in latest offense

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Learning his third offense in five seasons, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence already has found things to like about what coach Liam Coen brought from Tampa Bay to Jacksonville. "It has a lot of answers," Lawrence said Monday following the team's first of 10 organized team activities. "It's great. It puts a lot on the players. You have to know your stuff, but it gives you all the answers. "You don't feel like you're stuck in a play that's not set up for success. It gives us a lot of answers, and we change the presentation a lot, make a lot of things look the same. … It's definitely unlike any system that I've learned before." Lawrence, the first overall pick in the 2021 draft, started his NFL career under coach Urban Meyer and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. Lawrence transitioned to Doug Pederson and Press Taylor the following year, but he seemingly regressed amid injuries and inconsistency by his third year in the system. It's beena surprising slide for a player once considered a generational talent. Lawrence is 22-38 in 60 starts with the Jaguars, throwing for 13,815 yards with 69 touchdowns and 68 turnovers. Now Lawrence isgetting another makeover, hoping this one will lead to more success and long-term stability. "I really like the people we have here now," Lawrence said. "I love the system. I love the staff, the players that we brought in along with the guys that were already here. I feel very confident in where we're going and the trajectory we're heading. "Can't change the past, of course. I would've loved to have a little more success up until this point. But the reality is this is where we're at, and I love where we're at. I got a lot of confidence in it." Coen, general manager James Gladstone and executive vice president Tony Boselli have made it clear that their main priority is to build around Lawrence, who signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension last summer. The franchise's newest brain trust traded up three spots to draft two-way college starter and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter with the second overall pick. Hunter has stood out to most everyone, including Lawrence, watching the team's offseason workouts. "He's got a lot of juice; he can run all day," Lawrence said. "A lot of energy. I love it. Good energy. Always dapping guys up. Just bringing juice every day and, like I said, high motor, can just go. "It's like a kid just runs around all day. He doesn't get tired. Can't have enough of that. "And then as far as just talent … ball skills, running after the catch. He's very explosive. Didn't realize how explosive he was in and out of cuts. He's impressive to watch. It's only going to keep getting better and better." The Jaguars are counting on Hunter, Pro Bowl receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and speedster Dyami Brown to provide Lawrence with more options and upgrades in an offense that averaged 17.9 points a game in 2024. They also revamped Lawrence's tight end, running back and offensive line rooms. "We're not even close," Coen said. "We're working toward playing in September, obviously. So at this point it is strictly how much can we actually learn from every day. We're not evaluating maybe some of the things that you would normally evaluate in a game or in a season." Lawrence threw two interceptions during a turnover-plagued practice Monday. It was far from the start to OTAs he wanted but hardly anything worth worrying about considering it was his first day in a new system and facing a different scheme. "(This is) the time of year where you work that stuff out," Lawrence said. "Obviously you never want have interceptions. You don't want to have balls on the ground. You want to be clean. But, on the other hand, it's stuff you want to see so you can fix it now and not carry that over later on. So we'll fix that stuff and we'll get cleaned up." ___ AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

byKevin Jones

in

May 19, 2025

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence doesn't feel 'stuck' in bad plays in latest offense

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence doesn't feel 'stuck' in bad plays in latest offense JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Learning his third offe...

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Playoff success will determine if Derrick Henry's contract extension was correct call

Playoff success will determine if Derrick Henry's contract extension was correct call

There are not many things left for running backDerrick Henryto accomplish. He's a multi-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler. He's won the NFL regular season rushing crown twice, received the league's Offensive Player of the Year award in 2020 and leads all active players in career rushing yards. One major accomplishment that eludes Henry, though, is a Super Bowl. It's the same notable omission from two-time MVPLamar Jackson's resume. The two instantly formed one of the NFL's top duos in Henry's first season in Baltimore, which necessitated atwo-year extension for the running backthat he inked Monday. But Henry and Jackson's stellar year leading theRavensended unceremoniously in Buffalo in the divisional round. More:Derrick Henry, Ravens agree to two-year extension "I really enjoyed last season a lot," Henry said to reporters after he signed his two-year extension. "I was in Tennessee for eight years and then being able to play alongside a player like Lamar, best player in the league. It was just dynamic and a lot of fun. There are a lot of young guys on offense and on this team, so I feel like they give me youth and give me a lot of energy. Last year was a lot of fun. We accomplished winning the division, got into the playoffs, but ultimately, we came up short. It's a lot of fuel that should go into this season. Guys should be motivated. I'm motivated and hungry to get ready for the next one." The Ravens are taking a bit of a gamble on Henry. Histwo-year extension is worth $30 million. It's the largest contract ever for a running back over the age of 30. Henry, who turned 31 in January, is now signed through the 2027 season. A great Monday morning at the Castle 😈pic.twitter.com/wJiw7wHMM8 — Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens)May 19, 2025 It goes against the NFL's conventional wisdom to sign a running back north of 30 to a contract. Yet, Henry hasn't shown any signs of slippage. The downhill running back amassed 1,921 rushing yards and tied an NFL-high with 16 rushing touchdowns in his first year with the Ravens. His rushing yards output was the second most ever by a Ravens running back in a single season, it was also the second most in the NFL last year. Henry and Jackson led the Ravens to the NFL's No. 1 rushing attack, averaging just over 187 yards per contest in 2024. "I think he fits our identity as an organization. I think he fits Baltimore as a city and what the city stands for. When you watch him play and you watch the Ravens play, when you always watched the Ravens play, it was always dominating and physical. When you watch Derrick run, it's dominating and physical. When you think about our city, we're dominating and physical. I think he just fits everything about Baltimore and the Ravens organization," Ravens running back coach Willie Taggart told reporters. "He just fit everything about us." Taggart isn't concerned about Henry's age, either. "Just to watch him out there, you don't see a downside," the RB coach said. "He's still getting stronger, if you ask me." Recent evidence suggests Taggart is correct. Henry's 1,921 rushing yards last season were the most ever by a player 30 or older in NFL history. Plus, he averaged a playoff-high 135 rushing yards during Baltimore's postseason run. 2025 NFL SCHEDULE:Chiefs vs. Eagles, NFL in Spain and other must-watch games But what will ultimately determine whether Baltimore made the correct decision by re-signing Henry is the team's playoff success going forward, especially following a disappointing playoff defeat against the Bills. "I think you never get over it. I think you just deal with it, because that's just what it is. And when you get the opportunity again, try to make it a different outcome, especially on my part, how I play," Henry said looking back on the loss. "I think everybody who's on this team feels that same way." SUPER BOWL ODDS:Who is the favorite to win Super Bowl 60 after 2025 NFL schedule release? Henry has a 4-5 career playoff record. He made it as far as the AFC Championship as a member of the Tennessee Titans. Meanwhile, Jackson is 3-5 in his postseason career. Henry's contract value on an annual basis makes him the fourth highest-paid running back in the NFL. Jackson was the highest-paid player in football when he signed an extension in 2023. Ravens head coach John Harbaughpublicly stated this offseasonthat the quarterback will again be the top-earning player in the NFL when he puts pen to paper on another extension. "The value is the top. When Lamar gets paid, he's going to be the highest paid player in football, just like he was last time," Harbaughsaid to reporters at the NFL league meetings in March. The Ravens are investing a lot of money in their two main offensive pieces. Now both have to assist each other to achieve what's missing from their already stellar careers. "Derrick works hard. It's important to him," Taggart said. "He wants to win a Super Bowl. I know he's going to do everything he can to help this football team to accomplish that." Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X@TheTylerDragon. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Playoff success will decide if Derrick Henry's extension was justified

byKevin Jones

in

May 19, 2025

Playoff success will determine if Derrick Henry's contract extension was correct call

Playoff success will determine if Derrick Henry's contract extension was correct call There are not many things left for running backDer...

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Penske's Newgarden, Power moved to back of Indy 500 grid

Penske's Newgarden, Power moved to back of Indy 500 grid

Team Penske drivers Josef Newgarden and Will Power will start Sunday's Indianapolis 500 at the back of the grid following technical violations. IndyCar announced Monday that Newgarden's No. 2 and Power's No. 15 will start 32nd and 33rd, respectively, after the discovery of modified attenuators. "The integrity of the Indianapolis 500 is paramount, and this violation of the INDYCAR rule against modification to this part and using it 'as supplied' is clear," IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles said. "The penalty should be more than simply starting where the cars might have qualified anyway, if given the opportunity. The cars belong in the field as two of the fastest 33; however, starting on the tail of the field is the appropriate penalty in this instance." The team strategists were also suspended for the race for both cars, which will also forfeit Indy 500 qualification points and each pay a $100,000 fine. In addition, the Team Penske teammates will forfeit their pit positions and will select their pit boxes after the rest of the field has an opportunity to adjust accordingly. "The positive momentum around the NTT IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500 has been on a steep crescendo over the last several months, and we want it to be clear that our intent is to maintain that momentum and discourage teams from putting IndyCar in positions where it calls into the integrity of our officiating and the levelness of the playing field," Boles said. "As we look to the remainder of the week and the race this weekend, we will do everything we can to make it clear that this is not only the best racing on the planet but racing where the best win under completely fair conditions." Team Penske's No. 3 car, driven by Scott McLaughlin, will start in the 10th spot after inspectors determined it had a legal and unmodified attenuator. The Nos. 2 and 15 cars violated IndyCar Rule 14.7.8.16. Attenuators are part of the vehicle's crash structure that helps it absorb the impact from a collision. Rookie driver Robert Schwartzman earned the pole position for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. --Field Level Media

byKevin Jones

in

May 19, 2025

Penske's Newgarden, Power moved to back of Indy 500 grid

Penske's Newgarden, Power moved to back of Indy 500 grid Team Penske drivers Josef Newgarden and Will Power will start Sunday's Indi...

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Fired Nuggets coach Michael Malone joining ESPN broadcast team ahead of Western Conference finals

Fired Nuggets coach Michael Malone joining ESPN broadcast team ahead of Western Conference finals

Michael Malone isn't the Denver Nuggets coach anymore, but he's still going to make an appearance at the Western Conference finals. Malone is joining the ESPN broadcasting team for the series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves, thenetwork announcedMonday. Malone, 53, will appear on "NBA Countdown" for the pregame and halftime portions of the broadcast. He'll be on-site with the usual ESPN crew, which includes Malika Andrews, Stephen A. Smith and Shams Charania, among others. It will mark the first time Malone has been involved with the NBA since he wassurprisingly firedby the Nuggets with just three games left in the regular season. The Nuggets elevated assistant David Adelman as their interim head coach. Adelman performed well in his brief stint running the team. The Nuggets pushed the Thunder all the way to a Game 7 in the second round of the playoffs.Denver fell shortin that contest Sunday and were eliminated from the postseason. Following the game, anumber of players expressed supportfor elevating Adelman into the full-time role. With his former franchise no longer in the running, Malone will apply his coaching expertise to the Thunder and Timberwolves. He should be plenty familiar with both franchises, though he has more recent experience with the Timberwolves. The Nuggets played the team twice in the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. The Nuggets came out on top in 2023 and rode that momentum all the way to a championship. The Timberwolves got the best of Denver in 2024, however, beating Malone's Nuggets in seven games. Malone had mixed success against the Thunder during his coaching career, going 21-22 in 43 games against Oklahoma City. But that figure is dragged down by Malone's time with the Sacramento Kings, where he went 0-5 vs. Oklahoma City. Prior to his firing, Malone experienced plenty of success with the Nuggets. He compiled a 471-327 record in 10 seasons with the franchise, good for a .590 winning percentage. The Nuggets made the playoffs in each of the past six seasons under Malone, winning the NBA championship during the 2022-23 season. Given that success, Malone should draw interest for head-coaching jobs in the offseason. Malone's knowledge and familiarity with the league could make him an excellent commentator during the Western Conference finals, but it's also an opportunity for him to put himself out there and remind coach-needy teams that he's looking for work.

byKevin Jones

in

May 19, 2025

Fired Nuggets coach Michael Malone joining ESPN broadcast team ahead of Western Conference finals

Fired Nuggets coach Michael Malone joining ESPN broadcast team ahead of Western Conference finals Michael Malone isn't the Denver Nugget...

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