The 2025 NBA Western Conference Semifinals feature a clash between the battle-tested Golden State Warriors and the up-and-coming Minnesota Timberwolves. Golden State barely escaped the first round, while Minnesota is fresh off a statement series win. This matchup comes with extra intrigue: Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards famously said in 2023,
“I want to play the Warriors… because Draymond talks so much trash,”
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards two years ago 👀
Ant: “I want to play the Warriors [in the playoffs]… wherever they at, I want to get to them.”
“Why the Warriors?”
Ant: “Because Draymond [Green] talks so much trash.”
(via @Timberwolves)pic.twitter.com/LbMUlJbTBz
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 5, 2025
and now he gets his wish. Meanwhile, former Timberwolf Jimmy Butler returns to Minneapolis wearing a Warriors jersey, adding drama for the home crowd. With rising stars eager to prove themselves and established champions fighting to continue their dynasty, the stage is set for a compelling series.
The #7 seeded Warriors completed a first-round upset of the #2 seed Houston Rockets in a grueling seven-game series. Golden State actually led the series 3–1 before “coughing up” Games 5 and 6, nearly collapsing before righting the ship in Game 7. In the decisive Game 7 on the road, the Warriors locked down Houston 103-89, holding the Rockets under 90 points as Stephen Curry and Draymond Green had vowed. Surprisingly, the hero of Game 7 was sharpshooter Buddy Hield, who erupted for 33 points, including nine 3-pointers (tying an NBA Game 7 record). Trade deadline addition Jimmy Butler chipped in 20 points, while Curry shook off a cold start to score 22 (14 of those in the fourth quarter). Draymond Green added 16 points of his own in that clincher, delivering his best offensive game when it mattered most. It wasn’t easy or pretty, but the defending champions’ core found a way to advance. (This marks a return to the West semis after a disappointing early exit in 2024, reminding everyone that Golden State’s championship pedigree is never to be underestimated.)
The #6 Timberwolves, meanwhile, dispatched the star-studded #3 Los Angeles Lakers in five games. After splitting the first two, Minnesota won three straight to eliminate a Lakers squad led by LeBron James and newly acquired Luka Dončić. Anthony Edwards was outstanding, averaging 26.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in the series. He delivered a 43-point masterpiece to help Minnesota take a 3–1 series lead, out-dueling the Lakers down the stretch. In the closeout Game 5, center Rudy Gobert dominated the paint with playoff career-highs of 27 points and 24 rebounds, punishing Los Angeles’ small-ball lineup. Forward Julius Randle added 23 points in that clincher, providing a reliable scoring punch. Minnesota won Game 5 despite shooting just 7-for-47 from three (an abysmal 15%). Head coach Chris Finch remarked that his team “were the tougher team mentally and physically” in crunch time. This victory gave the Wolves back-to-back playoff series wins for the first time in franchise history. (they made the Western Conference Finals in 2024). Importantly, Minnesota earned home-court advantage in this matchup as the higher seed, and they’ll come in with five days of rest versus just one day for Golden State. (Notably, the Warriors did win 3 of 4 meetings in the regular season, but both teams’ rotations have evolved significantly since those early-season games.)
The Warriors’ championship core (Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and now Maverick Klay Thompson, who left this past offseason) has seen some changes around them. Most notably, Golden State added five-time All-Star Jimmy Butler and veteran sniper Buddy Hield to the squad this season. Butler was brought in to provide two-way playmaking on the wing – and he remains one of the NBA’s premier playoff competitors – while Hield’s elite shooting offers spacing and secondary scoring. Hield’s impact was on full display in Round 1: his nine threes in Game 7 tied the NBA record for a Game 7 and delivered the knockout punch Houston never saw coming. Stephen Curry remains the engine of the offense – he averaged 24.5 points per game in the regular season (11th in the league) – but Houston’s defense held him to a modest 24.3 in the first round, forcing other Warriors to step up. Curry showed his clutch gene with 14 of his 22 points in the 4th quarter of Game 7 and he’ll likely need to carry a heavy scoring load in this series as well. Draymond Green, the heart and soul of Golden State’s defense, continues to anchor them on that end while acting as an offensive facilitator from the forward spot. Green’s ability to guard multiple positions and orchestrate hand-offs and passes (essentially acting as a point-forward) is a strategic lynchpin for the Warriors. Health-wise, Golden State appears to be in decent shape – they had a clean injury report entering the Game 7 vs. Houston. In short, the Warriors come in with a slightly retooled cast around their core, and that cast just proved its worth in Round 1.
The Timberwolves’ roster has undergone major changes in the past year to build around Anthony Edwards. In a stunning preseason blockbuster, Minnesota traded long-time franchise star Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. Early skepticism about that trade has quieted – Randle has fit in nicely as a versatile power forward (he even poured in 25 points during a Game 4 comeback win over L.A.), and the Wolves now have one of the deepest rotations in the West. Edwards has fully embraced the role of franchise centerpiece, leading the team in scoring and energizing them on both ends. He’s coming off a LeBron/Luka duel that saw him emerge victorious, and at just 23 years old, his playoff poise is growing game by game. Around Edwards, Mike Conley provides veteran leadership at point guard – he keeps the offense organized and has a wealth of playoff experience (including a 2015 series win against Curry’s Warriors back in his Memphis days). Donte DiVincenzo brings perimeter shooting and defensive IQ off the bench. And perhaps the X-factor in Minnesota’s lineup is Jaden McDaniels, their lanky 6’9” forward who relishes defensive assignments – McDaniels is the type of wing stopper who could spend time guarding Curry or Jimmy. The Wolves also have size – between Gobert (7’1”) and Randle (6’8”, 250 lbs) in the starting frontcourt, with 6’10” Naz Reid off the bench, Minnesota can punish smaller teams inside. Crucially, Minnesota enters this series at full strength with no key injuries reported, and with a refreshed squad that has now tasted playoff success in consecutive years. The mixture of youthful talent and veteran savvy on this roster is a big reason oddsmakers have taken notice of Minnesota’s potential.
(And of course, the off-court storyline to watch: Jimmy Butler’s presence in a Warriors uniform is not lost on Timberwolves fans. Butler infamously forced his way out of Minnesota after one tumultuous season in 2017–18, and local fans still carry “angst” over that saga. Every time Butler touches the ball at Target Center, expect a chorus of boos – an extra bit of spice in this matchup.)
Timberwolves’ Defense vs. Warriors’ Offense: Minnesota hangs its hat on defense, and that will be tested against Golden State’s motion offense. During the regular season, the Wolves quietly became one of the NBA’s elite defensive units – after a rocky 8–10 start, they allowed just 111.1 points per 100 possessions the rest of the way, a top-3 defensive rating in the league. This stingy defense is built around Rudy Gobert patrolling the paint and a fleet of long, athletic defenders on the perimeter. They are well-coached, disciplined, and physical. In Round 1, Minnesota’s defense smothered the Lakers at key moments (for example, holding L.A. to 96 points in the Game 5 clincher despite the Wolves’ own poor shooting). However, containing Stephen Curry and the Warriors presents a unique challenge. The Wolves don’t have a single defender quite like Houston’s rookie Amen Thompson – who at 6’7” gave Curry fits at times by “putting him in jail” on defense– but they will counter with strength in numbers. Look for Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards to take turns chasing Curry around screens, using their length to contest his shots. Veteran Mike Conley can also use his smarts to shade Curry into Gobert’s help in the paint. The key for Minnesota will be denying open looks to the Dubs – constant communication and quick rotations are a must against Golden State’s flurries of off-ball movement. If Curry gets loose and starts hitting 30-footers, the Wolves’ defense can be stretched to its breaking point. But if they can make him work for every basket and “fight” through physical defense (something Edwards, for one, welcomes – he never backs down), the Wolves like their chances. Additionally, Minnesota matches up well elsewhere: Draymond Green vs. Rudy Gobert will be a heavyweight battle in the paint (and not just basketball-wise – recall that Green and Gobert have bad blood, with Green giving Gobert “plenty of reasons to hold a grudge” in past encounters). Green will try to pull Gobert away from the rim in pick-and-roll actions, while Gobert will aim to dominate the glass against Golden State’s smaller lineups. If the Wolves’ defense can dictate the terms – using their size and physicality to disrupt the Warriors’ flow – Golden State’s offense could be in for a grind.
Warriors’ Defense vs. Timberwolves’ Offense: On the flip side, Golden State’s defense will have to contend with a far more potent Minnesota offense than the Rockets team they just faced. Houston largely relied on isolation play and one-on-one shot creation, but the Timberwolves have multiple threats and a more cohesive attack. The Warriors will zero in on Anthony “Ant-Man” Edwards, the Wolves’ leading scorer. Edwards is a three-level scorer who just averaged 26.8 PPG against a solid Lakers defense, and he’s shown he can take over games in crunch time. Golden State’s challenge is to prevent Edwards from getting downhill to the rim, where his explosiveness and 225-pound frame make him tough to stop. We will likely see Jimmy Butler take on the primary defensive assignment against Edwards – a fascinating matchup of two powerful wings. Butler knows Edwards’ tendencies, and despite being 35, Butler remains an elite defender with quick hands. The Warriors also have Gary Payton II, a defensive specialist, who could hound Edwards in spurts off the bench. Still, it’s unrealistic to shut down a talent like Ant – Golden State will focus on making him an inefficient shooter and forcing him into tough contested jumpers. Beyond Edwards, Julius Randle poses a matchup issue for the Warriors. At 6’8” and adept at scoring inside or stepping out for 3s, Randle will likely be checked by Draymond Green. Green’s defensive IQ and strength are well-suited to bother Randle (he’s had success in the past neutralizing bigger forwards), but if Randle gets going, the Warriors may have to send help and risk leaving shooters open. Karl-Anthony Towns used to be Minnesota’s floor-spacing big; now that role can fall to Randle or even backup center Naz Reid – meaning Gobert can stay near the rim while Randle drags Green or Kevon Looney out. Golden State must also account for Minnesota’s role players: Mike Conley won’t wow with scoring, but he’ll hit open threes if ignored, and Donte DiVincenzo can catch fire from deep (he had games of 5+ threes multiple times in the regular season). Overall, the Wolves have far more firepower than Houston did, and they won’t hesitate to “get into the mud” and grind out possessions. That style actually gave Golden State trouble in Round 1 – the Rockets turned it into a physical, low-scoring affair and nearly upset the Warriors by slowing the pace. Minnesota can play that game too, but with superior offensive talent to back it up. The Warriors’ defensive keys will be: 1) rebounding – they cannot afford to be mauled on the boards by Gobert and Randle (second-chance points will kill you on the road), and 2) transition defense – if Minnesota gets stops and runs, Edwards is lethal in the open floor. Golden State did hold Houston under 90 in the Game 7 clincher through focused team defense, and they’ll need a similar collective effort here. One wild card: fatigue. The Warriors have a quick turnaround, with only one full day off before Game 1, whereas the Wolves are well-rested. Will Golden State’s legs hold up when chasing Minnesota’s athletic scorers? Conditioning and depth will play a role. If Golden State can dictate a faster tempo at times and force Minnesota’s half-court offense into mistakes, they can mitigate the Wolves’ size advantage. But if this series becomes a slowed-down, half-court slugfest every night, that likely favors Minnesota’s style and personnel.
Despite the Warriors’ illustrious track record, the Timberwolves are slightly favored to win this series. Minnesota holds home-court advantage and entered Game 1 as roughly a 5.5-point favorite. Betting odds for the series lean toward the Wolves – for example, VSiN’s oddsmakers listed Minnesota around -170 to advance (meaning you’d have to bet $170 on the Wolves to win $100). In other words, the market gives the Timberwolves roughly a 60-65% chance to reach the West Finals.
