The NBA Playoffs are heating up as key Game Three matchups will shift momentum in multiple series over the weekend. The Oklahoma City Thunder displayed dominance in Game Two against the Denver Nuggets, scoring the most points in a half in playoff history. Then, a state over, the Minnesota Timberwolves look to capitalize on a depleted Golden State Warriors squad and take the series lead. With stars rising and teams under pressure, the next games could determine who controls the series and who could face an early exit from the postseason. With that in mind, I like both OKC and the Timberwolves to win their Game Three matchups.
The Thunder Strike Down the Nuggets in Game Three
Over the past two games, the Thunder have clearly been the better team; OKC has significantly outplayed the Nuggets in seven of the eight quarters of basketball played in this series. It took a major collapse at the end of Game One just for Denver to win on a last-second shot, a collapse only possible because of a historic night by Nikola Jokić, who had 40 points and 22 rebounds. Additionally, getting blown out the way the Nuggets did in Game Three, where they never had a fighting chance, is demoralizing for any team, especially for a team that, while reinvigorated, still had to fire their coach just weeks before the playoffs due to dysfunction. Finally, OKC has simply been the better team all season, and I believe they’ll prove it again tonight against Denver as they take a 2–1 series lead and recapture home-court advantage.
The Battered Warriors Fall to the Timberwolves in Game Three
The Warriors, with Steph Curry, were legitimate title contenders. They could have become the lowest seed to ever win a championship if the cards had fallen in their favor. However, those cards did not fall their way. With Steph expected to miss at least the next three games, the Timberwolves are now clearly the better team. In addition, as we saw last year against Denver and this year against Los Angeles, once Minnesota finds a weakness, a way to exploit a team, they attack it relentlessly. And for the Warriors, that weakness is now a lack of shot creation. Moreover, Anthony Edwards has yet to play up to his standards in this series, and despite that, the series remains tied at one game apiece. Finally, the Timberwolves now have significantly more avenues to victory. They can play a balanced, all-around game. Ant could go nuclear. Secondary stars like Julius Randle could step up and take over. They also have the ability to shut down the Warriors with their defense and grind out the win. On the other hand, Golden State has a very narrow path to victory. Jimmy Butler would need to have one of his best games of the season, Draymond Green must play like a Defensive Player of the Year, and the role players need to step up, just for Golden State to have a chance in Game Three. For all of these reasons, I like Minnesota to win Saturday's matchup and take control of the series.