The Minnesota Timberwolves are certainly out for gold. In the first round, they pulled off a major upset by sending the Los Angeles Lakers home in five games, even if LeBron James and Luka Doncic led the Purple and Gold. However, the playoffs don’t come easier, as they draw another decorated franchise in the second round in the form of the Golden State Warriors. For this piece, let’s take a look at three Minnesota Timberwolves’ bold predictions for the Warriors series in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Timberwolves will overwhelm the Warriors with frontcourt depth
One of the biggest strengths the Timberwolves possess is their solid depth at the frontcourt. The team simply has several big men at their disposal, including the likes of four time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, and even last year’s polarizing acquisition Julius Randle. In contrast, the Warriors have limited options at the frontcourt.
While Golden State still has its own NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner in Draymond Green, he’s still terribly undersized. As a result, fans and experts can expect Minnesota to dominate the glass, the same way they trounced the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. Outside of Green, the Warriors can also deploy Jonathan Kuminga and Quinten Post. However, it’s hard to see them effectively keeping up with the Timberwolves’ best big men, due to their lack of experience under the bright lights of the playoffs.
Despite Kuminga having been part of the Warriors’ championship in 2022, he has yet to earn Kerr’s trust. In fact, during the first round matchup against Houston, the 6-foot-7 power forward was only deployed when some key rotational players became unavailable. On the other hand, Post may have made a solid impact against Houston in spurts, but it wouldn’t be wise to let a rookie handle major minutes against a squad with a more seasoned frontcourt.
In the first round, Golden State may have escaped Houston. But, they were absolutely demolished on the boards, with the Rockets grabbing 328 rebounds to the Warriors’ 277 in the series. Furthermore, one can easily expect Gobert to dominate the paint, in the same manner he posted a monster 27-24 double-double in the series clincher against the Purple and Gold.
Anthony Edwards will establish himself as a legitimate superstar
At only 23 years old, Anthony Edwards has already made his presence felt in the playoffs. Last year, the Timberwolves star swept Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns. This time, he successfully sent two more future Hall of Famers home in James and Luka. Adding Stephen Curry to the list would be a huge accomplishment on his resume.
To add more drama into the mix, prior to the 2020 NBA Draft, the Warriors actually took a look at Edwards. However, Kerr only had words of criticism against the Georgia standout. Nonetheless, the Timberwolves star does credit the Warriors coach for motivating him to become the star that he is now.
A duel between Curry and Edwards is a matchup that could potentially feature a passing of the torch. The former is an elite guard who has dominated the league for the past decade, while the latter is out to cement his status in the NBA. ANT has all the tools to dominate the series. Against the Lakers in the first round, he averaged 26.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game. If Edwards can replicate those numbers, chances are good that he’ll lead Minnesota past Golden State.
The Minnesota Timberwolves will try to get under the skin of Draymond Green
After all the championships won with Golden State, it’s safe to say that Draymond Green is the heart and soul of the team. His leadership and versatility were crucial ingredients to the Warriors dynasty. However, his emotions and antics do tend to get in the way of Golden State’s goals from time to time.
In the first round series against Houston, Green tallied four technical fouls and a pair of flagrant fouls. This puts the four-time NBA champion in danger of a possible suspension in the playoffs, something the Warriors would prefer to avoid, especially with a thin frontcourt. Nonetheless, this is a concern that Minnesota can exploit.
To make matters more interesting, it wouldn’t be difficult for the Timberwolves to draw more technical and flagrant fouls out of Green. In fact, there’s already plenty of history regarding the beef between Gobert and Green. As a result, it’s nearly a safe bet that this second-round clash will add more color to their chaotic rivalry.
And should Minnesota succeed in getting Green’s suspension, it’s nearly a surefire way to end a dynasty. Tensions and emotions are ultimately high come playoff time, and it’d be favorable for the Timberwolves to get the Warriors’ best big man out of the equation.
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