After somehow finding a way to lose game one — after Steph Curry suffered a grade one hamstring strain in the second quarter that he has yet to return from — the Warriors have dropped three-straight to the Wolves.

We’re all dying to see the Timberwolves get back to the West Finals, but there’s no doubt Curry’s injury ruined what could have been a historically great series full of twists, turns and storylines galore. And that part sucks.

Steph Curry ruled out for game five – Timberwolves vs Warriors

Since Steph’s official diagnosis came to light, optimists have looked to game five as Curry’s earliest (plausible) return date. Hope faded, however, when the Wolves opened as massive -11.5 point favorites. If Curry is playing, that spread doesn’t exist. Late Tuesday night, the official report broke (via Anthony Slater – The Athletic): No Steph Curry for game five.

Steph Curry is out tomorrow for Game 5 in Minnesota. The Warriors officially face elimination without their star guard.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 13, 2025

Steph Curry missing another game of this series isn’t the only news Slater dropped late Tuesday. In game four, the Golden State Warriors needed Jimmy Butler to get into his time machine and pull out a star performance, in order to threaten the Wolves’ takeover of this series.

Jimmy Butler was sick in game four vs Minnesota Timberwolves…

Instead, the Warriors got arguably Butler’s the worst performance of these first four games, posting just 14 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. At times, he even looked disinterested, only totalling nine field goal attempts all night. Butler also finished game four as a -30 in 34 minutes played.

Related: What We Learned About the Timberwolves in Overpowering Game 4 Win Over Warriors

Apparently, there was a reason (or excuse) for Jimmy’s no-show. According to what Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told media on Tuesday, the former Bull – turned Wolf – turned Sixer – turned Heat – turned Warrior… was dealing with a significant illness that was NOT listed on the team’s status report before the game.

Steve Kerr called Jimmy Butler's illness yesterday "definitely impactful." He went from 26 shots in G3 to nine in G4. Kerr: "But he's feeling better and he'll be ready to go tomorrow." Steph Curry remains out but did make the trip with the team.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 14, 2025

Kerr is confident Butler is feeling much better entering game five, and Golden State expects him to be back to more of his normal self. Of course, prior to game four, they weren’t even willing to acknowledge that he had this debilitating illness in the first place.

One thing is for sure, though. We can confirm that Jimmy Butler can talk tough all he wants, but his mental toughness isn’t Michael Jordan’s. We’ll see if a now healthy Jimmy can make an impact on game five, when the Warriors need him most.

They did it on the back of Julius Randle’s 31 points and 5 rebounds, assisted by a superstar 3rd quarter appearance by Anthony Edwards, where his 16 points nearly outscored the 17 points Golden State scored as a team.

Of course, this series has been defined by the absence of Steph Curry, after he was pulled in the 2nd quarter of game one with a grade one hamstring strain. Now, after three-straight Timberwolves wins, the Warriors find themselves going back to Minneapolis, on the brink of elimination.

Timberwolves vs Warriors (Gm 5) Betting Odds are shocking

The biggest questions entering game five are simple. Will Steph Curry return? If not, do the Golden State Warriors stand any chance of stealing one game from Minnesota without their one superstar? Well, an early look at the betting odds may prematurely answer both those questions.

Not only are the Minnesota Timberwolves favored by sportsbooks to win game five and close out the Warriors on Wednesday… but they are MASSIVE -11.5 point favorites.

Let’s address the elephant in the room. Steph Curry clearly is not playing in game five. If there were even a chance that he were going to suit up and take the court that the Timberwolves would be double-digit favorites to win.

And without Steph, Vegas sees what those with any basketball sense whatsoever sees while watching these games. The Minnesota Timberwolves are a far superior team to the Golden State Warriors, even without Curry. Now, you take him out altogether, and the Wolves are toying with them.

The Golden State Warriors cannot hang with the Minnesota Timberwolves

Think about it. Anthony Edwards and most of the Minnesota roster has slept through every first half of this series, just to come out in the second half of these last three games and knock the Warriors out cold with one haymaker run. Jimmy Butler is 35 years old and afraid of Rudy Gobert.

Related: What We Learned About the Timberwolves in Overpowering Game 4 Win Over Warriors

Draymond Green is mostly a non-factor and Jonathan Kuminga couldn’t even find the floor in their first round series against the Rockets. And oddsmakers think it’ll happen before Steph even gets a chance to play hero, on Wednesday in Minneapolis.

If true, it’ll mean the second-straight Western Conference Finals run in as many seasons… something we would have thought was impossible before it we came to the brink of it becoming reality.

Steph Curry remained out for game four, and likely game five too, which is just another reason why the Warriors needed a win so desperately. If they can’t find a way to secure one victory in this series without their superstar, then he may not return in time to play superhero in the final games.

Like we have seen throughout this series, the Timberwolves got off to yet another slow start on Monday night. That allowed Golden State to secure a 28-27 lead at the end of one quarter and a 60-58 lead at half.

But yet again, Minnesota flipped the switch during halftime, and came out looking like a complete different team, lighting the Warriors up for 39 points in the third quarter, alone. Golden State, meanwhile, was just trying to keep up with Anthony Edwards, who nearly outscored them by himself, 16-17 in that period.

say it with us now.

ANT-1. 😤 pic.twitter.com/80wQR05jBy

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 13, 2025

Just like that, the Wolves found themselves leading by 20 points going into the fourth quarter, a lead they held into garbage time. Because without Steph available to shoot them back into it, and Jimmy Butler looking like a shell of his former self, 20 points is a deficit this Warriors team is not capable of coming back from.

What We Learned – Minnesota Timberwolves vs Golden State Warriors (Gm 4)

When the dust settled on game four, the Minnesota Timberwolves stood on top 117-110. Julius Randle scored a game-high 31 points and kept the Wolves in the game early, while others were slow to get going. Jaden McDaniels put up a double-double, with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and others made big contributions too.

The final score makes game three look like a way closer contest than what it was, at least in the second half. That was mostly thanks to sloppy play by the Wolves’ B-squad, which allowed the Warriors B-squad to bring it within two possessions by the final buzzer.

Nonetheless, it’s a W and a 3-1 series lead. Minnesota went to San Francisco and took care of business… twice. Now, they get their aforementioned opportunity to close things out in game five, back in Minnesota.

So, here is what we learned about the Timberwolves during their game four dub (other than the fact that the Warriors can’t hang, especially without Steph Curry).

Thank the basketball gods (and Tim Connelly) for Julius Randle

In the first half Monday night, with Anthony Edwards once again off to a slow start, Minnesota needed Julius Randle to be a calming force offensively. So, per usual, the 30-year-old former No. 7 overall pick out of Kentucky did what was asked of him.

He lead all first half scorers with 19 points (including 3-of-5 from deep), to go with his 5 first half rebounds. He also scored the Wolves’ first five points of the game, after Golden State jumped out to an early 5-0 lead.

Julius Randle is up to 10 in the 1Q 🔥

Timberwolves (2-1) Warriors going back and forth to start Game 4!

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/Blf9SOMGq6

— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2025

If you would have told me back in January that Julius Randle would be the Minnesota Timberwolves playoff MVP through their first seven wins of the postseason, I would have laughed at you.

Don’t get me wrong, Randle has been contributing big minutes all regular season, where he averaged 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.7 points per game. But he struggled to find where he belonged in the Wolves offense, not to mention his lack of effort oftentimes on the defensive end.

Related: Video Surfaces Proving NBA Refs Will Allow Just About Any Crime Against Rudy Gobert

But after sitting out for all of February with injury, Julius got an opportunity to watch the Minnesota offense work without him. And when he came back, he immediately looked like a much more natural fit in the Wolves offense. Since the playoff started, that has only intensified, as has his defense.

Now, Randle has become the Wolves baby blanket. Whether they need him to take the ball up the court and act as a point forward, or they need a bucket to stop a run, even a big stop on defense, head coach Chris Finch has learned that he can call Julius Randle’s number for just about anything right now, and he will deliver.

Julius Randle has been absolutely masterful in this series. pic.twitter.com/anGxrlixtg

— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) May 13, 2025

Minnesota Timberwolves love playing down to their competition early in games

As they have way too often in these playoffs, the Minnesota Timberwolves came out slow in game four. The Golden State Warriors jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, before Julius Randle realized he needed to calm the waters. But while it seems like the Timberwolves like to fall behind all the time, it has been especially bad in this series.

Why? Well, I have a theory. Minnesota knows that, especially without Steph Curry, they are a much better team than this iteration of the Golden State Warriors. Thus, the Wolves continue to come out of the opening gates lacking playoff-level intensity and focus.

At the end of the day, this team goes as Anthony Edwards does. And when the best player on the floor, outside of him, is a 35-year-old Jimmy Butler and washed up Draymond Green… it’s harder for him to get up for tip-off. I mean look at this kid. He might want Steph back in the series even more than Warriors fans do.

Anthony Edwards practicing the “night night” celly before the game..

Have some damn shame bro 😭 y’all would be getting smoked if Steph was healthy pic.twitter.com/yWhmX8dtQT

— Steph Curry Muse (@StephMuse_) May 13, 2025

Of course, that’s not the best mentality to have. But at the end of the day, human nature almost always wins. And when you know you have a vastly superior team than your opponent, it’s more difficult to stay 100% engaged and locked in.

The Anthony Edwards we saw in round one never made it to San Francisco. He’s still back in LA talking shit to LeBron and flinging spider webs at Luka Doncic. Let’s be real, that hits different than flinging webs at Jonathan Kuminga or Buddy Hield.

Anthony Edwards takeover begins in, 3…2…1…

Anthony Edwards scored 14 points in the first half of game four, and his final three points of those first 24 minutes came in the final second, when he hit a deep step back three-pointer on two Warriors to close the half. While the Minnesota Timberwolves entered the second half down 58-60, you knew Golden State was in trouble after this.

And wouldn’t you know it, that is exactly how the 2nd half went. After scoring 14 points the entire first half, Anthony Edwards scored 16 points in the third quarter, nearly outscoring the entire Warriors team.

🚨ANTHONY EDWARDS AT THE BUZZER🚨

pic.twitter.com/wWIhEg7RxO

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 13, 2025

The third quarter Wolves onslaught on Monday night was so detrimental that, by the end of the period, Golden State had gone from up two points… to down twenty, after Minnesota outscored them 39-17. All this goes back to a point I have been making since before this series started, and especially after Curry went out with injury.

Related: Minnesota Timberwolves Announcer Lands a Couple More Jobs

Unless the Minnesota Timberwolves play like absolute trash, the Golden State Warriors — just like the LA Lakers before them — do not stand a chance. The Wolves have too much star power, followed up with waaaaayyy too much depth behind them. Most other NBA teams, including the Warriors, have one or the other.

ANTHONY EDWARDS IS TAKING OVER ‼️

He's got 28 PTS on 6 3PM…

Midway through the 3Q 🤯 pic.twitter.com/TCMnKn16bp

— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2025

Edwards hot third quarter was eventually put out by foul trouble. But by then, it was too late. The Minnesota Timberwolves were already up 20 and his teammates were already following their superstars lead by knocking down shots of their own, including Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker even went a perfect 5-of-5 on the night, good for 11 points. In game six, it feels like the Warriors will need Steph Curry to stand a chance, especially if Jimmy Butler isn’t going to show up. We’ll see if they those dreams come true.

If the Warriors want any chance of evening this series, they’ll have to find a way around Rudy Gobert. He leads this series in total rebounds (33), rebound % (23.7), blocks (7) and block % (8.2) by a rather wide margin (Basketball-Reference).

And he’s doing all this, oftentimes, with at least one hand literally tied behind his back by defenders. Head coach Chris Finch broached the subject last week, after the Timberwolves went down 1-0 in the series, when asked about how Golden State was able to limit Rudy to just 9 points and 11 rebounds in game one.

Essentially, NBA referees have turned a blind eye to the crimes being committed against Rudy Gobert in these playoffs. As Finchy put it, the “fouling, shoving, holding, pushing and tackling” that’s allowed against Rudy is something that nobody else with his NBA pedigree has to deal with.

Chris Finch vindicated on Rudy Gobert + NBA refs?

The Wolves coach suddenly shifting the Rudy conversation toward referees was a bit surprising. But Finch remained adamant, even going as far as to say, “…my God, you should see some of these clips. They look like pulling guards and linemen out there, just taking shots at Rudy”.

Related: Timberwolves Coach Dumbfounded by Refs’ Mistreatment of Rudy Gobert

So what happened in game two? Well, Gobert went for just 5 points and 9 rebounds, one of his worst statistical games of the postseason. Nobody thought of it, being the Minnesota Timberwolves won and tied the series 1-1.

But, as Finchy requested, a look back at one replay caught by a fan in the Target Center stands gives a glimpse of just how bad Rudy Gobert has it right now. After contesting a Buddy Hield shot, Hield lands on top of Gobert and sits on him until the Wolves’ defensive possession is over.

pic.twitter.com/pf6WtmOAj2

— Wolves In 6 (@WolvesInVI) May 12, 2025

Watch as Nickeil Alexander-Walker even comes off the Wolves bench in his full sweatsuit to try and help Rudy out from under Hield. You can see the ref on the far right side of the screen. About halfway through the video, he turns around and looks right at what is happening underneath the wrong basket… but no whistle is blown.

Minnesota Timberwolves big man can play defense anywhere

Rudy Gobert has yet to repeat his performance from game five vs the Lakers, when he went for an absurd 27 points, 24 rebounds and 2 blocks to single-handedly close out LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Nonetheless, the French big man’s presence in the defensive paint is impossible to deny.

Related: What We Learned About the Timberwolves in Comeback Game 3 Win Over Warriors

The seemingly accepted false narrative across the league that Gobert can be cooked by wing players in isolation has also helped the Minnesota Timberwolves take advantage of easy defensive possessions throughout the Wolves’ first two series, as well. Perimeter players think they want to iso Rudy… and almost always wind up regretting it.

Rudy Gobert has been excellent guarding in isolation on the perimeter this postseason. pic.twitter.com/1XEzHcaS4C

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) May 10, 2025

Unfortunately, the Wolves came out sluggish in the first half, something they have shown a propensity for throughout the first two rounds of this series. Even without Steph on the other side, Minnesota found themselves trailing by two points at halftime, a lead the Warriors stretched to five, a couple times during the third quarter.

What We Learned – Minnesota Timberwolves @ Golden State Warriors (Gm 3)

Anthony Edwards was slow to go for three quarters, which explains why the Timberwolves were inconsistent for most of the night. That changed in the fourth (see more on that below), and as soon as it did, so did the outlook of game three.

While Ant was figuring it out, Minnesota struggled to find its identity. Meanwhile, Jimmy Butler had by far his best game of this series, scoring 33 points, to go along with 7 assists and 7 rebounds. Jonathan Kuminga had a career night as well, contributing 30 points of his own, along with 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

But when the Minnesota Timberwolves flipped that switch in the fourth quarter, the Golden State Warriors suddenly looked like they didn’t belong on the same court as the Wolves, who outscored the Warriors 33-24 in the fourth quarter, pulling ahead in the closing minutes, before securing a 102-97 victory that pulled them ahead 2-1 in the series.

Without further ado, here’s what we learned tonight in game three of the western conference semifinals between the Timberwolves and Warriors on Saturday night.

Thank God Tim Connelly traded for Julius Randle

The longer we go on in these 2024-25 NBA Playoffs, the more appreciative I become for Julius Randle. Throughout the postseason, and during much of the second half of the regular season, Randle has unlocked something with the Wolves that he struggled to find immediately after being traded to Minnesota.

On Saturday night, not only did Randle put up a triple double — 24 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists — but just like he has all playoffs long, the former No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft has become the Timberwolves’ stabilizing force, whenever that is needed.

Julius Randle defensive rebound + drive-and-kick pass to Anthony Edwards for the corner 3 pic.twitter.com/8lGJXGEnQ8

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 11, 2025

Struggling to make shots, get the ball in the high post to Julius Randle. Need a veteran to slow things down and setup the offense, Randle can do that too. Need a strong big man not named Rudy Gobert to lock down a LeBron James or Jimmy Butler? Call on Julius Randle.

Related: Minnesota Timberwolves Announcer Lands a Couple More Jobs

Whatever the doctor calls for, Randle is there to provide it. It may have taken a while for him to gel with his new teammates, but for two or three months now, the 30-year-old out of Dallas, Texas has been everything the Minnesota Timberwolves could have hoped for… and more.

It’s nice when Anthony Edwards shows up… he should do it more

Saturday night was the umpteenth time this postseason that nobody told Anthony Edwards the game had started, until the second half. In game three, Ant went 3-of-12 (25%) in the first half, including 1-of-5 from deep.

For much of the first three quarters, we watched our 23-year-old superstar work in sleepwalk mode. He looked hesitant to try and get downhill toward the rim, while also lacking confidence in his three point shot. And as Edwards struggled, it allowed the Warriors to hang around.

That was until midway through the third quarter, when Ant flipped the superstar switch and became a completely different player. How did he do it. By getting to the rim. In the third, Edwards went 6-of-10. Five of his makes were at the rim… but it was this dunk that changed everything about tonight’s game.

ANTHONY EDWARDS JUST TOUCHED THE HEAVENS 😱 pic.twitter.com/SwIvUt3LLo

— ESPN (@espn) May 11, 2025

Then, the fourth quarter came along, and by then, Anthony Edwards was feeling himself a little bit, shooting 4-of-6 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three point land. And as Ant got hotter, the hopes of the Golden State Warriors went into the toilet.

Related: Timberwolves Coach Dumbfounded with Refs’ Mistreatment of Rudy Gobert

Edwards finished 13-of-28 for a game-high 36 points, to go along with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. And what we really learned tonight… was something we already knew deep down. As long as the Minnesota Timberwolves play semi-decent basketball against this Curry-less Warriors squad… this series is loser-proof.

Anthony Edwards TAKES OVER, Julius Randle drops triple-double as the @Timberwolves win Game 3 🔥💯

Edwards: 36 PTS (28 in 2H), 5 3PM
Randle: 24 PTS, 10 REB, 12 AST, 3 STL

MIN leads series 2-1 pic.twitter.com/4WBy592S8f

— NBA (@NBA) May 11, 2025

Another playoff team that can’t hang with the Minnesota Timberwolves

Much like what we saw in round one against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Golden State Warriors do not have the firepower to hang with this incredibly deep Minnesota Timberwolves roster, as long as they perform anywhere near their capabilities.

For the Warriors to hang around, they need to play really well and the Wolves need to do the opposite. Tonight, that’s what took place for most of three quarters. Now, once the West Finals roll around and their opponent is… say… the OKC Thunder, laying off the gas pedal will no longer be an option, even for a quarter.

But the 2025 Golden State Warriors are not the Thunder. So until then, we’ll see if the Timberwolves can stay engaged enough to take this series in five.

Immediately, the Wolves let the Warriors know that game two was not going to be like game one. After going 0-for-15 from deep in the first half of game one, Minnesota immediately drilled its first two three pointers of game two and jumped out to an early 13-0 lead, making a depleted Golden State team fight from behind right from the opening tip.

Hot start for the T-Wolves 🔥

15-3, early 1Q on TNT pic.twitter.com/tvLnIo4C7R

— NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) May 9, 2025

The Warriors stuck around (kind of) for most of the contest, and even cut the lead down to single digits a couple of times. But in the end, Golden State never threatened to take momentum away from the the Wolves, who finished on top 117-93 when the final buzzer sounded at the end of the 4th quarter.

There was plenty to take away from the Minnesota Timberwolves’ convincing game two win over the Warriors on Thursday night. But really, there was one thing we learned/confirmed during the Wolves’ blowout win at Target Center. Without Steph, the Warriors are screwed.

What We Learned (Gm 2): The Steph Curry-Less Warriors are no match for the Minnesota Timberwolves

The Golden State Warriors entered this series overmatched in the first place — both from a high-end talent standpoint, and in terms of true roster depth. Against the Houston Rockets, in round one, the Warriors stuck with mostly a six-man rotation of Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Moses Moody and Draymond Green.

Three others — Gary Patron II, Jonathan Kuminga and Quinten Post — played between 16 and 17 fill-in minutes during the series, but they saw the floor only to get Golden State’s aging big three SOME rest. In contrast, the Minnesota Timberwolves had eight players who averaged over 20 minutes per game in their first round series vs the Lakers, and seven of them played over 24 minutes per night.

Steve Kerr searching for help… but there is none

Back to Thursday, game two between the Warriors and Wolves. With Curry dressed in street clothes, Golden State just did have enough talent available for Steve Kerr to conjure up some sort of magic against the barrage of weapons firing on the Minnesota side. If the Timberwolves play to their potential, not even Steph could save the Warriors.

Instead, Kerr was forced to throw rotation spaghetti at the Target Center wall for most of game two, in hopes of finding a spark or effective lineup combination against the superior talented Wolves. Hield and Podziemski got extended time in the back court, in Curry’s absence. Both played okay… but neither are Steph Curry.

Jonathan Kuminga played 29 of the best minutes in his young NBA career, leading the Warriors in scoring with 18 points, to go along with his 5 rebounds. He averaged just 16.7 minutes and 6 points per game against Houston.

Jonathan Kuminga Vs Timberwolves Minnesota

Playoffs Game 2

18 points 🏀

26 minutes 🎥🇨🇩 pic.twitter.com/YFgsBnR7zR

— 243 Comps 🎥🇨🇩 (@243Comps) May 9, 2025

Trayce Jackson-Davis shined as well, in his 19 minutes, shooting 6/6 from the field, scoring 15 points and grabbing 6 rebounds of his own. This, after the former Indiana Hoosier averaged only 4.8 minutes per game in round one. And… none of it mattered.

Related: Timberwolves Coach Dumbfounded with Refs’ Mistreatment of Rudy Gobert

Warriors top scorers can’t score on Timberwolves defense; Hield can’t escape Mike Conley…?

With Rudy Gobert guarding the paint, Golden State’s only real scoring threat, Jimmy Butler, struggled to initiate his offense inside of 15-18 feet, where he is most comfortable. He finished with 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting, with 7 rebounds and 5 assists.

Meanwhile, Minnesota attached shutdown defender (lol) Mike Conley (seriously) on Buddy Hield (seriously), who erupted for 24 points (5/8 3PT) and 8 rebounds in game one. And… it worked.

The former No. 6 overall pick out of Oklahoma — who the Thibs-led Wolves passed on in the 2016 NBA Draft in favor of Kris Dunn — shot just 5-of-14 from the field, totalling an underwhelming 15 points and 3 rebounds.

“To be 50 years old and still come out and defend and play with the effort that he does, I’ve talked all year about the leader that [Mike Conley] is for our team, and kind of how he just keeps a balance.”

Julius Randle on Mike Conley’s defensive effort in game 2 on Buddy Hield (quote via The Athletic)

Draymond Green, who put up 18 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in game one, managed only 9 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists in game two…. and he should have been tossed halfway through the game, which would have made him ineligible for game three.

Draymond Green the only player in the NBA that can get a technical foul, get in the refs face, cuss him out, and NOT GET EJECTED

WHAT DOES HE KNOW ABOUT ADAM SILVER 😭 pic.twitter.com/KhmL2HQFec

— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) May 9, 2025

Warriors only got Minnesota Timberwolves + Anthony Edwards’ B effort…

How he never got another technical foul through all that… well only the NBA can answer that question. No matter, because without Steph, Golden State isn’t beating Minnesota with or without Draymond. In game two, not one Warriors player topped 18 points.

And that was against the Minnesota Timberwolves’ B effort, at best. Yes, the Wolves shot much better than they had the previous two games of this playoff run (50.6% FG, 43.2% 3PT), but Anthony Edwards is still struggling to finish at the rim and has yet to recapture the intensity he had from games one through four vs LA.

Related: Minnesota Timberwolves Announcer Lands a Couple More Jobs

Yet, the Golden State Warriors never stood a chance in game two. The Wolves won by 24 points, and outside of a couple Warrior whimpers that cut Minnesota’s lead to single-digits, the Curry-less ghost of what was once an NBA dynasty was obviously outmatched right from tip.

WOLVES EVEN SERIES BEHIND BALANCED ATTACK 🐺

Randle: 24 PTS | 11 AST | 7 REB
Ant: 20 PTS | 9 REB | 5 AST | 3 STL
NAW: 20 PTS | 4 3PM
McDaniels: 16 PTS | 3 STL | 3 BLK#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google pic.twitter.com/hf5nVjwQrJ

— NBA (@NBA) May 9, 2025

So unless the Wolves decide not to show up to the arena, over the next four days, while Steph Curry is out of the Golden State lineup, this series is as good as over. In fact, without Steph, I’d be utterly shocked if the Warriors finish any game within 10 points of the Minnesota Timberwolves, let alone actually win another game.

Anthony Edwards was sleep walking from the tip-off and the Wolves started 0-of-15 from deep, but the story of the game was Steph Curry leaving in the second quarter with a left hamstring strain, and not returning. On Wednesday morning, Curry underwent an MRI, in order to determine how severe his hamstring injury was.

Steph Curry went to the locker room after an apparent leg injury pic.twitter.com/xS3D5mW5Vo

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 7, 2025

At best, it was expected to be diagnosed as a grade one strain, which usually takes at least a few days to heal, likely longer. Worst case, it was a grade two or grade three strain that would cost the 16-year NBA veteran the rest of the second round vs Minnesota.

Steph Curry will miss multiple games vs Minnesota Timberwolves

In a turn of “good fortune” for Golden State, Steph’s imaging tests today revealed his hamstring strain to be a grade one, the best case scenario. Nonetheless, Golden State’s 3x NBA Champion, 10x All-NBA and 2x NBA MVP is expected to miss at least a week with his bad hamstring.

The Warriors expect Stephen Curry to miss at least one week with the Grade 1 left hamstring strain, sources tell ESPN. An exact return will be based on how their All-NBA guard responds to rehab with his first muscle strain. https://t.co/PWhFWz2sEQ

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 7, 2025

Looking ahead, that logically rules him out for game two (May 8), game three (May 10), game four (May 12) AND possibly game five (May 13). Let’s be real. If Steph Curry really misses the next four games of this series, it could legitimately be over by the time he is healthy enough to return.

Related: Chris Finch Puts Anthony Edwards on Blast After Timberwolves Loss

If Minnesota Timberwolves vs Golden State Warriors does indeed go beyond game five, game six is scheduled for five days later, on Saturday, May 17. Before he left game one, Curry had already piled up 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting (3-of-6 from 3 pt).

In just 13 minutes played, Steph finished as the Warriors’ fourth leading scorer. Without Stephen Curry on the floor, Golden State doesn’t have a legitimate high-end scoring threat.

Golden State Warriors will turn offense over to Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler may have been that at the peak of his NBA career, later on in Chicago, then in Minnesota, Philly and Miami, and no doubt Steve Kerr will ask him to take on more of a scoring role in Steph’s absence.

But the 2011 first round draft pick is now 35 years old and coming off a season where he averaged under 18 points per game for the first time since 2013-14. Does he still have that in him? We’ll start to find out, beginning Thursday night, back in Target Center for game two.

Since being traded to Golden State before the trade deadline, Jimmy has settled in quite nicely as a secondary scorer next to Curry. Now, he’ll have to go back to offensive alpha, if the Warriors are going to have a chance.

Q: "What'd you learn from this Game 1?"

JIMMY: "That Steph is our best player" 😂@JimmyButler did his 'Robin' thing with 20p, 11r, 8a to help lift the Warriors in Game 1! pic.twitter.com/k6xaTch55r

— NBA (@NBA) May 7, 2025

As for the Minnesota Timberwolves, they need to take advantage of Golden State’s misfortune and dominate this series for every second that Steph Curry is forced to be in street clothes. Game one needs to look like a mirage, by the time their superstar returns… if he even does.

With Steph Curry out expected to be out for the foreseeable future with a left hamstring strain, Minnesota fans should still feel pretty good about the Timberwolves’ chances to beat the Warriors in a seven-game series. Yes, even after how brutally they played in game one.

Chris Finch not happy with Anthony Edwards after game one

But don’t tell that to Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, who did not hold back in his post game press conference when describing his disappointment in how 23-year-old superstar Anthony Edwards came out in game one against Golden State.

Chris Finch on the team mentally checking out

"It starts with Ant, he struggled early, and then you could just kinda see the light go out for a while. — I think it was one of those games where he came out with a predetermined mindset of what he was going to do." pic.twitter.com/RuHCL8kOYZ

— Jonah (@Huncho_Jman) May 7, 2025

It starts with Ant. I thought he struggled early, and then you could just kind of see the light go out for awhile. I think it was one of those games where he had a predetermined mindset in what he was trying to do, rather than just playing the game that was in front of him.

Chris Finch – Timberwolves vs Warriors (Gm 1) Postgame Press Conference

Finch acknowledged that Edwards looked better in the second half, but an empty box score wasn’t about to make the Wolves head coach feel better about what his professional baseketball eyes watched unfold Tuesday night in Minneapolis, as Timberwolves fell behind and Ant mustered just one point and missed every shot from the field.

Anthony Edwards finished game one with 23 points on 9-of-22 shooting, 14 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists and a -4 point differential while on the court. As Finchy mentioned, he did get better in the second half.

"You're the leader of the team and you've gotta come out and set the tone."

Chris Finch wants Anthony Edwards to carry the energy even when his shot isn't falling 🎤 pic.twitter.com/KQNyDBem72

— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 7, 2025

“What is there to talk about? You’re the leader of the team. You need to come out and set the tone, always. If your shot’s not going, you still have to carry the energy. If I have to talk to guys about having the right energy coming into the opening of a second round game then we’re not on the same page, so…”

Chris Finch – Timberwolves vs Warriors (Gm 1) Postgame Press Conference

Related: What We Learned About the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game One Loss vs Warriors

If Edwards is going to be the league’s next superstar, like his NBA prophecy predicts… then first half performances like Tuesday night cannot happen.

Minnesota Timberwolves need Ant to be Ant, going forward

But knowing Ant, he will come out in game two like a bat out of hell. I mean, just look at his face when told after game one that the Minnesota Timberwolves are 12-of-76 from deep in their last two playoff games.

Anthony Edwards' face when someone tells him the Wolves have shot 12/76 over the last 2 games shooting from 3 lol pic.twitter.com/jro8nW3ed5

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 7, 2025

Anthony Edwards on the missed threes in Game 1: “They can blame me. I just didn’t play good enough.” pic.twitter.com/Lv3sPeHzFv

— Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) May 7, 2025

If there is one thing we know about our young superstar, it’s that he is one of the most coachable talents in the NBA, which is why Chris Finch felt the need to publicly call out Edwards the way he did. Because he knows it will make him better in game two, and beyond.

Not only that, but the Wolves have the depth, size and youth advantage over an aging Warriors roster, desperately trying to hang onto whatever is left of its Steph Curry championship window. In every logical way, Minnesota entered Tuesday night’s contest looking like the clear favorite in round two.

What We Learned – Minnesota Timberwolves vs Golden State Warriors (Gm 1)

But… that’s why they play the games, right? Because it became clear pretty early on that game one was going to be a grind for the Timberwolves, as they looked to knock off the rust from their week off. But after taking a second quarter haymaker, the Wolves couldn’t recover, and the fell 99-88 at home in what would up being a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad game one loss.

Were the Warriors good offensively? No, especially after Steph Curry left the game with a hamstring strain. But the way Minnesota shot, especially during the first half… it didn’t matter. With that, let’s get into what we learned about the Minnesota Timberwolves in game one of their second round playoff series vs the Golden State Warriors.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have forgotten how to shoot

I’m not sure how familiar you are with the game of basketball. But it’s a sport that is difficult to find success in if you cannot make any shots. And for the second-straight playoff game, the Minnesota Timberwolves really struggled to put the ball in the basket.

Wolves’ misses came early and often, but the offense really got ugly in the second quarter. After they entered the period with a 20-18 lead, the Wolves shot just 4/12 from the field, totaling 11 points.

When the dust settled on the first half, Minnesota found themselves down 44-31, good for the lowest first half total in Timberwolves playoff history. How does that happen? By shooting 14/44 from the field (32%) and 0/15 from deep, that’s how.

The Timberwolves are in the midst of one of the worst five-quarter shooting stretches in NBA history — 7-for-55 from three.

They are still +9 over those five quarters.

— Phil Mackey 🎙 (@PhilMackey) May 7, 2025

Anthony Edwards, who we will discuss in more detail momentarily, led the way of incompetence, shooting 0/8 and scoring just one total point during the worst postseason half in the Wolves’ 25+ years of existence. Minnesota did start to shoot better in the second half, where they went 20-of-42 (48%) from the field.

Related: MN Timberwolves Playoff Odds Entering Warriors Series That Has ALL the Storylines

But even when the Minnesota Timberwolves made runs in game one, they just didn’t seem to have the energy to hang finish off the type of comeback they needed vs Golden State. We’ve now gone two games in a row where the Wolves have struggled to shoot the basketball… something they need to figure out in game two.

Anthony Edwards needs to be better for MN Timberwolves

So, nobody woke Anthony Edwards up this morning to let him know that round two was starting tonight, huh? That’s sure what it looked like. Outside of one small offensive burst in the third period, Anthony Edwards played arguably the worst playoff game of his Minnesota Timberwolves career on Tuesday night.

You already read about how bad Ant was shooting during the first half, but Edwards’ struggles during game one went way beyond his inability to hit shots. He looked downright passive on the offensive end. Once he realized his shot wasn’t going to fall, it almost felt like the 23-year-old‘s unbreakable confidence went out the window too.

Still, Anthony Edwards found a way to contribute with a double-double, finishing with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 3 steals, which all led the team. And then finally in the fourth quarter, Ant even hit a 3-pointer, ending a an 0-of-15 stretch from deep that dated back to game four vs the Lakers.

ANT-1 🐜 pic.twitter.com/kt3r98zPav

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 7, 2025

Anthony Edwards driving layup through contact pic.twitter.com/fhfWhjkSBv

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) May 7, 2025

But whether you are box score hunting or you watched every second of game one, sometimes seeing a player at his “worst” makes you realize how great they actually are.

Because not only did Ant end up stuffing the box score on Tuesday night for the MN Timberwolves, but he was also the motor that drove every offensive burst they were able to muster up in the second half, including when they cut the lead to single-digits twice during the fourth quarter.

In fact, Anthony Edwards was back to his normal self in the second half of game one, where he shot 9-of-14 and scored 22 of his 23 points. Chris Finch was right after Tuesday’s game when he said that he needs his superstar to come out ready to play and ready to set the tone for his team. But hopefully, he figured something out late.

It’s apparent Finch is quite annoyed with Ant’s energy/approach

— Jace frederick (@JaceFrederick) May 7, 2025

Finch on Ant: “You’re the leader of the team. You have to come out and set the tone.”

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) May 7, 2025

Game one loss may probably won’t matter

But in the end, the Wolves didn’t have enough in the tank to make this game close. They walked into tonight and decided to play the entire first half blindfolded, on crutches and with one arm tied behind their back. By the time they decided to fight back, it was too late.

Still, you could tell Steve Kerr and his Warriors were on edge all evening, even though Minnesota couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn. That’s because he knows what everyone else watching this series knows. The Timberwolves are not going to play this poorly all series long.

Related: Turns Out, LeBron James Wasn’t Faking All of His Injuries vs Timberwolves

And not only will the Wolves be better in game two, and going forward, but it looks like the Warriors may be without Stephen Curry for at least a game or two, possibly the rest of the series, after he suffered a hamstring strain in the first half and was unable to return. After the game, Steve Kerr did not appear optimistic regarding Steph’s injury.

Steph Curry went to the locker room after an apparent leg injury pic.twitter.com/xS3D5mW5Vo

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 7, 2025

Steph Curry is getting an MRI tomorrow and is considered day-to-day

Steve Kerr talked to Steph at halftime: "He's obviously crushed."

— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) May 7, 2025

So while it is a bit concerning that the Minnesota Timberwolves couldn’t hang with a Steph Curry-less Golden State squad in game one, I can’t imagine a reality where the already-outmanned Warriors hang with the full-strength Wolves.

That’s why the NBA plays seven-game playoff series. Because in most cases, the best team usually wins. And if the Timberwolves were already the better team, with Steph Curry on the other side… what are they without the greatest shooter in world history on their team?

We’ll get to some of those momentarily. But first, let’s take a look at the current betting odds for the NBA Playoffs, after the Oklahoma City Thunder were shocked Monday night, in game one vs the Denver Nuggets, who now lead the series 1-0.

Sportsbooks like Minnesota Timberwolves in the West…?

Even after taking the upset haymaker in game one, OKC remains the betting favorite, not just in the West, but to win the entire thing, after Boston was also upset in game one of their round two series vs Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks.

Entering tonight’s tip at Target Center, the Minnesota Timberwolves currently hold the second-best odds (~3/1) to win the Western Conference and fourth-best odds (11/1) to win it all, according to major sportsbooks — DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM.

Aside from the Oklahoma City Thunder, only the East’s Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers have better championship odds than Minnesota. All three teams lost their first game of their second round series on Monday.

The Timberwolves are -6.5 favorites to beat the Golden State Warriors in game one and -180 favorites to win the series. They started out their playoff journey underdogs against the Los Angeles Lakers, and Vegas made a fortune on uneducated Lakers/Yankees/Cowboys fans.

Obviously, Steve Kerr, Steph Curry and the gang in Oakland have been there and seen it all. But this is another older team with plenty of superstar power, but no depth. Not to mention, neither Steph Curry nor Jimmy Butler are anywhere near 100% physically.

Now, let’s talk about these storylines…

Storylines galore for MN Timberwolves vs Warriors

Draymond Green will have to face the Rudy Gobert music, after years of bad mouthing the 7-foot Frenchman publicly whenever given the opportunity. He’ll have to prove everything he said during last year’s playoff run where he and the TNT crew mocked and ridiculed Gobert night in and night out. Oh, and there was the time he Draymond nearly choked Rudy out during a scrum a couple years ago.

"I'm a truth teller and right now the truth is, Rudy Gobert don't stand a chance against Joker."

Draymond Green absolutely laid into Rudy Gobert at halftime 😳

Facts or sour grapes? 🤔pic.twitter.com/E66wly4OqD

— Covers (@Covers) May 15, 2024

Draymond Green put Rudy Gobert in a headlock and was ejected 😳 pic.twitter.com/ub7ZT34WiL

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) November 15, 2023

Then… there’s Jimmy Butler, who has to face the Minnesota Timberwolves fan base for a seven-game series. Tuesday marks the first time the now 35-year-old has played in front of the Target Center crowd… since 2021.

Minnesota traded Jimmy Butler to the Philadelphia 76ers in November of 2018. Initially, Butler had no problems coming back to Target Center. The Sixers beat the Wolves in his first game back, in January 2019.

Jimmy Butler afraid to play the Minnesota Timberwolves?

But after being traded from Philly to Miami, Butler lost his next two games back in Minneapolis (Apr. 2021, Nov. 2021). That’s when he must have decided he no longer likes playing at Target Center anymore. Because every time his team has been back since November 2021, Jimmy has found a way out out of the lineup.

Whether the excuse has been rest, illness or injury, Butler has refused to play basketball in MN against the Wolves for 3.5 years. That’s four full seasons of avoiding the Target Center fans. But really, he doesn’t like to play the Minnesota Timberwolves at all anymore.

Since November 2021, Jimmy Butler has only played the Wolves one time. It came in Miami back in December, 2023. That too ended in a Timberwolves win. Hmm, I am starting to understand why Jimmy doesn’t like playing against his former team. But starting tonight, there’s nowhere for Butler to hide.

Anthony Edwards onto his next superstar funeral…?

Anthony Edwards has already sent plenty of superstars packing in the NBA playoffs. His list includes Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and LeBron James. He would be adding Steph Curry to that group with another series win, and Minnesota would make consecutive trips to the Western Conference Finals.

The Thunder are the clear favorite at every sportsbook, and they are projected to be on a collision course with the Boston Celtics. However, the Towns-led New York Knicks knocked off Boston in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Monday night. The Nuggets did the same in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Anthony Edwards taking out legends one-by-one:

❌ Kevin Durant
❌ LeBron James

Stephen Curry next? pic.twitter.com/rxTePjrIEe

— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) May 1, 2025

The Timberwolves can’t afford to get too far ahead of themselves. However, if they can advance another round and make things interesting against the Thunder, a ring doesn’t seem all that far-fetched.

Can the Timberwolves really do it?

Any assumptions that the MN Timberwolves will float easily by Golden State is a dangerous one. Even as slight favorites, they are in a similar spot as Los Angeles was prior to coming up short in round one. And we don’t have to mention how good we felt this time last year, entering the West Finals vs Dallas.

Related: MN Timberwolves President Pushes Back Against Rumors

If they can get it done, however, Vegas seems convinced that their next round opponent will be the Thunder. Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the rest of Mark Daigneault’s roster is scary. They have seven players that averaged double-digits this season, and SGA is always a threat to be handed 30 free throws in a game.

The Wolves did split the season series vs OKC, but that would all go out the window if they meet in the Western Conference Finals. Again, that’s getting ahead of ourselves. All we know now is that this Minnesota Timberwolves team is coming together at the right time. It’s still a long shot, but why bet against them now?