Thunder vs. Timberwolves: A History of the Northwest Division Rivalry

When Do the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder Play Next?

Minnesota Timberwolves tickets and Oklahoma City Thunder tickets can be found on their respective team pages, along with schedule information.

Are the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder Rivals?

The Timberwolves have enjoyed moderate success since debuting in the NBA in 1989 while the Thunder have had long stretches of success and some stretches of futility during their time in Oklahoma City and Seattle. But the success of both of these teams hasn’t synced up until last year and this year, so the somewhat dormant rivalry may heat up soon.

Who are the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Biggest Rivals?

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ biggest rivals are the Memphis Grizzlies. Two of the newer NBA franchises have showcased some true talent while not enjoying a lot of extended success. But the teams do battle it out for Western Conference playoff positioning. They also met in the 2022 Western Conference playoffs with Memphis coming away with the series win. Minnesota also has rivalries with the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks, as both are geographically nearby.

Who are the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Biggest Rivals?

The Thunder moved from Seattle in 2008 and haven’t quite built up a rivalry with another team since then. Previously, the Seattle Supersonics had a bitter rivalry with the Portland Trail Blazers because of the franchises’ proximity to one another. Oklahoma City likely considers the Golden State Warriors as their biggest rival because they signed Kevin Durant away from OKC in 2016.

Game Results Between the Thunder & Timberwolves

Oklahoma City has taken two of the three games played between the two teams so far this year. The Thunder won in Minnesota on January 20 and at home on December 26 while the Timberwolves won the first matchup in Minnesota on November 28. The last of the Thunder Timberwolves games is on January 29 in Oklahoma City.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder History

The Thunder vs. Timberwolves history has been dominated by the Thunder. The two franchises have met 141 times and Seattle/Oklahoma City has won 93 of the games. The Supersonics made it to the NBA Finals in 1996 and the following season was Minnesota’s first postseason berth. The teams met for the first time in the playoffs in 1998 with Seattle edging Minnesota three games to two. It wasn’t until 2004 that the two teams were put into the same division, making the Thunder-Timberwolves games mean more.

Once the Thunder debuted in Oklahoma City, it enjoyed lots of success as Minnesota endured years of rebuilding. Last season, the teams met in the Western Conference Play-In with Minnesota ending Oklahoma City’s season. This year, the teams are currently the top two teams in the Western Conference and both are loaded with young talent. Oklahoma City has stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams while Minnesota counters with Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and Anthony Edwards.

Where Do the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves Play?

The Oklahoma City Thunder play at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It has hosted PBR events, MMA fights, concerts, and more.

The Minnesota Timberwolves play at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is also home to the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA.