Jan 15, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield (7) shoots the ball over Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) and center Naz Reid (11) in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images The Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors each knocked off a higher-seeded opponent in the first round of the playoffs.
Now, the teams will battle for a trip to the Western Conference finals.
Sixth-seeded Minnesota will tip off against seventh-seeded Golden State in Game 1 of their best-of-seven semifinals series on Tuesday night in Minneapolis. The series will stay in Minnesota for Game 2 on Thursday before shifting to San Francisco for games 3 and 4.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said both teams enter the series on a similar trajectory.
“It’s obviously a tough matchup,” Finch said. “It’s a championship pedigree team. They’re similar to us. They’ve played their best basketball down the stretch and into the playoffs.
“They’re coming off a really, really tough series, no doubt about it. But they showed what they’re made of in that series.”
The Warriors are coming off a first-round win over the Houston Rockets in a series that went the full seven games. The team had one off day between Sunday’s 103-89 win in Houston and Tuesday’s series opener.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr praised his players for holding on for the first-round victory. Golden State is back in the semifinals after losing in the play-in round a season ago.
The acquisition of Jimmy Butler has had a lot to do with the Warriors’ resurgence. Butler joined a lineup that already featured Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, and the trio has rejuvenated the team over the past three months.
Golden State was 25-26 when Butler made his team debut on Feb. 8 against the Chicago Bulls. The Warriors won 24 of 32 games to conclude the regular season before advancing in the play-in round and taking down the second-seeded Rockets.
“We’re excited. We’re thrilled,” Kerr said. “When I think back to the trade deadline, where we were as a team, I’m so proud of these guys for what they’ve accomplished to put us in a position, as Steph says, to play meaningful basketball and give ourselves a chance. This is all you want every year: Do you have a chance? And we’ve got a chance with this group.”
Anthony Edwards gives the Timberwolves a great chance as well. He leads the team with 26.8 points per game in the playoffs, and he racked up 31 assists with only six turnovers during a five-game series win over the third-seeded Los Angeles Lakers.
Julius Randle also has shined in the playoffs for Minnesota, recording 22.6 points per game. Jaden McDaniels is averaging 17.4 points per game while drawing the top matchup on defense.
In the semifinals, that likely means McDaniels will spend much of his time trying to slow down Curry, who averaged 24 points on 47.1 percent shooting from the field in the first round. Butler averaged 18.3 points and Brandon Podziemski averaged 11.
Golden State won the regular-season series 3-1. All of those games took place before the Warriors added Butler to their lineup.
Curry knows it will be a tough series against Edwards and his Minnesota teammates, who are trying to get back to the conference finals for the second straight season.
“We know they had their run last year,” Curry said. “They have a new look from Randle but the same ‘Ant’ who’s trying to take strides with every opportunity he gets. It’s going to be a tough challenge, we know.
“We’re going to have to send multiple bodies at (Edwards) and figure out a game plan to go at him. They’re hot right now. They’ve been playing some great basketball the last couple months. We’re excited that we have an opportunity to have some more basketball to play, too.”
–Field Level Media
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Panthers miss out on shot at NFC South lead after bang-bang late hit on QB Tyler Shough cuts 15 yards off Saints’ game-winning FG
This is a tough way to lose ground in the playoff race.The Carolina Panthers needed a win over the three-win New Orleans Saints on Sunday to take the lead in the NFC South over Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Instead, they lost to one of the NFL's worst teams in part due to a late hit that cut 15 yards off a would-be 62-yard field goal attempt.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWith 12 seconds remaining in a 17-17 game, Saints quarterback Tyler Shough took off on a designed run up the middle as New Orleans tried to get into field-goal range. Shough gained 4 yards and slid at the last moment as rookie Panthers safety Lathan Ransom barreled down on him.Ransom hit Shough as Shough slid, immediately drawing multiple penalty flags.Officials flagged Ransom for unnecessary roughness, and a 4-yard gain turned into a 19-yard gain.Two plays later, […]
Steelers vs. Dolphins Monday Night Football betting odds, picks and predictions: Best bets, player props
‘Tis the season.It’s the time of year where we get a lot of weather-centric handicaps, and if you’ve listened to anyone talking about this game this week, you didn’t have to listen too carefully — or for all that long.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNo, the Dolphins don't have a very good record in the cold — though we’ve seen the bar for what is “cold” get dropped like the mercury in December after Miami won easily in freezing, but bearable, conditions in New York (41 degrees at kickoff).Yes, it helped that Miami played the Jets, but who do you think they’ve been playing when it’s been aggressively chilly as part of Tua Tagovailoa’s 0-5 record in sub-40 degree temperatures?Th answer? The Bills (twice), the 2024 Packers, the Chiefs and the Titans (when Tennessee went 12-5 in 2021). Some were close, and others were not, […]
Puka Nacua Wins Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game, Draws Larry Fitzgerald Comp
Puka Nacua reminds Tom Brady a lot of future Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald, which is why the seven-time Super Bowl champion believes the Los Angeles Rams star is on pace to join his Mount Rushmore of wide receivers.With performances like Sunday's, it's easy to see why Brady thinks that highly of Nacua after the Rams star wide receiver won the LFG Player of the Game honor following a monster game.Nacua had a career day in Sunday's 41-34 win over the Detroit Lions, logging nine receptions for 181 yards to set a new career high.As Brady spoke with Nacua after the game, the third-year receiver certainly displayed the confidence of a receiver who has Fitzgerald's talent. "Never," said Nacua with a laugh when Brady asked if any ball that comes his way is uncatchable. "If it's coming to No. […]
Puka Nacua Wins Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game, Draws Larry Fitzgerald Comp
Puka Nacua reminds Tom Brady a lot of future Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald, which is why the seven-time Super Bowl champion believes the Los Angeles Rams star is on pace to join his Mount Rushmore of wide receivers.With performances like Sunday's, it's easy to see why Brady thinks that highly of Nacua after the Rams star wide receiver won the LFG Player of the Game honor following a monster game.Nacua had a career day in Sunday's 41-34 win over the Detroit Lions, logging nine receptions for 181 yards to set a new career high.As Brady spoke with Nacua after the game, the third-year receiver certainly displayed the confidence of a receiver who has Fitzgerald's talent. "Never," said Nacua with a laugh when Brady asked if any ball that comes his way is uncatchable. "If it's coming to No. […]
Week 15 Instant Reactions: Rams-Lions a fantasy football party — but Jahmyr Gibbs doesn’t get the invite
Rams, Lions offenses go nuclear — but Gibbs goes quietIf you were hunting fantasy points, Rams-Lions was a full buffet. The Rams took it, 41-34, in a game that felt like every drive ended in fireworks — and the box score backed it up. Jared Goff threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns, but Detroit’s day was oddly lopsided. David Montgomery scored, yet both he and Jahmyr Gibbs were basically 30-yard rushers and neither back cleared 40 rushing yards. That matters — especially if you started Gibbs, because this was a straight bust: 58 total yards and no touchdowns in a game where these teams combined for 75 points. Nobody would believe that outcome until it smacked them in the face.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDetroit’s passing tree was as condensed as it gets. Amon-Ra St. Brown went nuclear with 13 catches for 164 yards […]
Vasco passa pelo Fluminense nos pênaltis e pega o Corinthians na final da Copa do Brasil
Léo Jardim pegou duas cobranças nas penalidades máximas (Photo: Alexandre Loureiro/AGIF)O Vasco está na decisão da Copa do Brasil. O Cruz-Maltino superou o Fluminense na noite deste domingo, no Maracanã, nas penalidades máximas, depois de perder no tempo normal por 1 a 0. Paulo Henrique fez o gol contra em uma grande trapalhada no primeiro tempo. Nas cobranças, Vegetti viu Fábio pegar a sua cobrança, mas Léo Jardim garantiu a equipe ao defender as batidas de John Kennedy e Canobbio. Pumita fechou a série em 4 a 3. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADEPortanto, agora o Vasco se prepara para encarar o Corinthians em dois jogos. O primeiro jogo já é nesta quarta-feira, na Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo. A finalíssima será no próximo domingo, no Maracanã. Mais cedo, os paulistas eliminaram o Cruzeiro, também nas penalidades máximas, por 5 a 4. O […]
Related
Panthers miss out on shot at NFC South lead after bang-bang late hit on QB Tyler Shough cuts 15 yards off Saints’ game-winning FG
This is a tough way to lose ground in the playoff race.The Carolina Panthers needed a win over the three-win New Orleans Saints on Sunday to take the lead in the NFC South over Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Instead, they lost to one of the NFL's worst teams in part due to a late hit that cut 15 yards off a would-be 62-yard field goal attempt.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWith 12 seconds remaining in a 17-17 game, Saints quarterback Tyler Shough took off on a designed run up the middle as New Orleans tried to get into field-goal range. Shough gained 4 yards and slid at the last moment as rookie Panthers safety Lathan Ransom barreled down on him.Ransom hit Shough as Shough slid, immediately drawing multiple penalty flags.Officials flagged Ransom for unnecessary roughness, and a 4-yard gain turned into a 19-yard gain.Two plays later, […]
Steelers vs. Dolphins Monday Night Football betting odds, picks and predictions: Best bets, player props
‘Tis the season.It’s the time of year where we get a lot of weather-centric handicaps, and if you’ve listened to anyone talking about this game this week, you didn’t have to listen too carefully — or for all that long.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNo, the Dolphins don't have a very good record in the cold — though we’ve seen the bar for what is “cold” get dropped like the mercury in December after Miami won easily in freezing, but bearable, conditions in New York (41 degrees at kickoff).Yes, it helped that Miami played the Jets, but who do you think they’ve been playing when it’s been aggressively chilly as part of Tua Tagovailoa’s 0-5 record in sub-40 degree temperatures?Th answer? The Bills (twice), the 2024 Packers, the Chiefs and the Titans (when Tennessee went 12-5 in 2021). Some were close, and others were not, […]
Puka Nacua Wins Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game, Draws Larry Fitzgerald Comp
Puka Nacua reminds Tom Brady a lot of future Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald, which is why the seven-time Super Bowl champion believes the Los Angeles Rams star is on pace to join his Mount Rushmore of wide receivers.With performances like Sunday's, it's easy to see why Brady thinks that highly of Nacua after the Rams star wide receiver won the LFG Player of the Game honor following a monster game.Nacua had a career day in Sunday's 41-34 win over the Detroit Lions, logging nine receptions for 181 yards to set a new career high.As Brady spoke with Nacua after the game, the third-year receiver certainly displayed the confidence of a receiver who has Fitzgerald's talent. "Never," said Nacua with a laugh when Brady asked if any ball that comes his way is uncatchable. "If it's coming to No. […]
Puka Nacua Wins Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game, Draws Larry Fitzgerald Comp
Puka Nacua reminds Tom Brady a lot of future Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald, which is why the seven-time Super Bowl champion believes the Los Angeles Rams star is on pace to join his Mount Rushmore of wide receivers.With performances like Sunday's, it's easy to see why Brady thinks that highly of Nacua after the Rams star wide receiver won the LFG Player of the Game honor following a monster game.Nacua had a career day in Sunday's 41-34 win over the Detroit Lions, logging nine receptions for 181 yards to set a new career high.As Brady spoke with Nacua after the game, the third-year receiver certainly displayed the confidence of a receiver who has Fitzgerald's talent. "Never," said Nacua with a laugh when Brady asked if any ball that comes his way is uncatchable. "If it's coming to No. […]
Week 15 Instant Reactions: Rams-Lions a fantasy football party — but Jahmyr Gibbs doesn’t get the invite
Rams, Lions offenses go nuclear — but Gibbs goes quietIf you were hunting fantasy points, Rams-Lions was a full buffet. The Rams took it, 41-34, in a game that felt like every drive ended in fireworks — and the box score backed it up. Jared Goff threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns, but Detroit’s day was oddly lopsided. David Montgomery scored, yet both he and Jahmyr Gibbs were basically 30-yard rushers and neither back cleared 40 rushing yards. That matters — especially if you started Gibbs, because this was a straight bust: 58 total yards and no touchdowns in a game where these teams combined for 75 points. Nobody would believe that outcome until it smacked them in the face.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDetroit’s passing tree was as condensed as it gets. Amon-Ra St. Brown went nuclear with 13 catches for 164 yards […]
Vasco passa pelo Fluminense nos pênaltis e pega o Corinthians na final da Copa do Brasil
Léo Jardim pegou duas cobranças nas penalidades máximas (Photo: Alexandre Loureiro/AGIF)O Vasco está na decisão da Copa do Brasil. O Cruz-Maltino superou o Fluminense na noite deste domingo, no Maracanã, nas penalidades máximas, depois de perder no tempo normal por 1 a 0. Paulo Henrique fez o gol contra em uma grande trapalhada no primeiro tempo. Nas cobranças, Vegetti viu Fábio pegar a sua cobrança, mas Léo Jardim garantiu a equipe ao defender as batidas de John Kennedy e Canobbio. Pumita fechou a série em 4 a 3. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADEPortanto, agora o Vasco se prepara para encarar o Corinthians em dois jogos. O primeiro jogo já é nesta quarta-feira, na Neo Química Arena, em São Paulo. A finalíssima será no próximo domingo, no Maracanã. Mais cedo, os paulistas eliminaram o Cruzeiro, também nas penalidades máximas, por 5 a 4. O […]
Be the first to leave a comment