With their 125-93 win vs. the Nuggets in Game 7, the Thunder punched their ticket to the Western Conference Finals. As the #1 seed in the West, they are favored to win the NBA Finals.
Their opponent in the Western Conference Final is the Timberwolves. Minnesota had almost a full week off since they last played. For the first time since 1996, the WCF will not feature a team from California or Texas. This stat is via Yahoo Sports on X.
It’s been 29 years since the WCF has not featured a team from California or Texas
It’s been 29 years since the Western Conference Finals haven’t featured a team from Texas or California 😳 pic.twitter.com/m4xUxQwICQ
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) May 20, 2025
California and Texas both have several NBA teams in their respective state. In the Lone Star State, they have the Rockets, Spurs, and Mavericks. The Golden State has the Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, and Kings. That’s seven of the 15 teams in the Western Conference. Just under 50%. That increases the likelihood of a California or Texas team playing in the Western Conference Final every season. However, that is not the case in 2025.
For the first time since 1996, the WCF will not feature a team from California or Texas. It’s been 29 years since this happened. The last time it occurred was 1996 when the Jazz faced the Supersonics. In 2025, the Minnesota Timberwolves are matched up vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Timberwolves are in their second consecutive WCF, and OKC is playing in their first since 2015-16.
Game 1 of the 2025 Western Conference Finals is Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. EST. Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves will face off vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder. Minnesota lost in five games to the Mavericks in last year’s WCF. They’ve been here before and have experienced players on the roster. On the flip side, OKC has the youngest team in the NBA this season and is still unproven in the postseason. Which team will advance to represent the Western Conference in the 2025 NBA Finals?
