Most people are studying the biggest showdown between superstars, Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. This is an interesting dynamic because both players are giant.
But there is more story about the upcoming series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder than this one. One of them includes a showdown between cousins Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Gilgeous-Alexander.
This series is fascinating because Thunder has been a favorite that won the West throughout the season. They won't be easy for them in this playoffs, especially since they played all seven games against the Denver Nuggets.
On the other hand, the Timberwolves had a tough regular season in the regular season, but they kept marching in the playoffs. They won two series in five games, so it would be their toughest test against the best team in the West. It will be fun to see this showdown as there are many storylines to choose from.
Related: Nickeil Alexander-Walker Reacts to Chris Finch’s Coach on Timberwolves
Although Gilgeous-Alexander is the bigger star, Nickeil Alexander-Walker has shown a good career. After bounced through the league in his first few seasons, he found his home with the Timberwolves.
Now, Alexander-Walker will make the Western Conference Finals for the second consecutive year. This proves his hard work as he almost transitioned from a league to an important part of the rotation of competitors.
Gilgeous-Alexander is excited about the game as he will face his cousin.
Nickeil and Shai😹 pic.twitter.com/ejmlnaqgcu
- ͏Q☂️ (@honestlyqu) April 20, 2024
"It would be very interesting. It's even hard to explain, if you know how close we are, he's actually like my second brother. He's been at every stage of his life, for me,Gilgeous-Alexander said after the Thunders beat Denver in Game 7. "We went through every situation together. It was special to be our position. It was special to compete with each other. But I'm sure to get out with certainty. Totally."
Given that their regular season is great, Thunder is a favorite of the series. But people should never count the Timberwolves.
The two teams played against each other four times in the regular season and they scored 2-2. This is important because most teams lost to OKC, but Minnesota won as many wins as possible.
Shai makes tough shots look effortless 🙌
-NBA (@NBA) May 18, 2025
19 points I 6-9 FGM I 2 STL #kiamvp finals! pic.twitter.com/y3prx34itv
Anthony Edwards and his support cast are a brilliant showdown for the Thunder. They have depth to keep pace with OKC, and Chris Finch is a great opponent for Mark Daigneault.
Related: Chris Finch sends a strong message to the Timberwolves ahead of the conference finals