Anthony Edwards Aims to Defeat Yet Another Legend

After a weekend of Game 7 action in the Western Conference, the second round of the NBA Playoffs is officially set.

The sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves will host the seventh-seeded Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.

This Timberwolves–Warriors series is packed with compelling storylines. There’s Draymond Green’s notorious history with Rudy Gobert, most notably putting him in a chokehold in 2023, and his ongoing public criticism of the Timberwolves’ center. Then there’s Jimmy Butler’s complicated past with Minnesota, including his infamous 2018 practice and his apparent avoidance of the Target Center.

And of course, the Timberwolves famously passed on Stephen Curry—twice— in the 2009 draft.

Remarkably, this is the first time these two teams have ever met in the playoffs. It promises to be a spectacular series.

But perhaps the most intriguing narrative centers on Anthony Edwards. After eliminating Luka Dončić and LeBron James in the first round of this year’s playoffs — and knocking out Kevin Durant, the Phoenix Suns, and Nikola Jokić and the defending champion Denver Nuggets last year — Edwards now faces another formidable challenge.

If he can lead the Timberwolves past Green, Butler, Curry, and the Warriors, securing a second straight trip to the Western Conference Finals, his legend — both in Minnesota and across the league — will grow exponentially.

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Size Matters

The Timberwolves will have a similar matchup advantage against the Warriors as they did against the Los Angeles Lakers: size. 

Like the Lakers, the Warriors lack the interior presence to contend with Minnesota’s frontcourt trio of Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, and Julius Randle. Draymond Green is the only big Golden State regularly plays, and he stands just 6-foot-6. Kevon Looney is the lone traditional big man on their roster, but he plays only occasionally. Jonathan Kuminga has the physical tools to help bolster the team’s size, but his role has been inconsistent. Still, head coach Steve Kerr may be compelled to give him more run to match up with Minnesota.

This advantage allows the Timberwolves to dominate the boards and control the paint. However, unlike the Lakers, the Warriors are a stronger defensive team — especially on the perimeter — which could make it tougher for Minnesota to get easy looks at the rim, something they exploited in the first round.

The Warriors were the worst rebounding team in the first round of these playoffs, and Minnesota led the first round in offensive rebounding percentage. Keep an eye on rebounding and paint points in this series— those battles could be a deciding factor.

Slowing Down Steph

At 37, Steph Curry remains one of the NBA’s elite players.

His shooting powers the Warriors’ offense and generates immense spacing by drawing the defense’s attention. Curry’s gravity forces the entire defense to react to his every move, opening up driving lanes and clean looks for his teammates. A critical task for the Timberwolves will be finding ways to limit that impact.

Fortunately for Minnesota, defense is their calling card. The Timberwolves boast one of the best defensive units in the league. During the regular season, they ranked sixth in defensive rating. During the playoffs so far, they’ve ranked fifth. 

Jaden McDaniels, an elite defender, will likely draw the primary assignment of chasing Curry around the court. However, others — including Anthony Edwards, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Donte DiVincenzo, and possibly rookie Jaylen Clark — will also take turns guarding the two-time MVP. All are capable defenders, ranging from solid to outstanding.

The Timberwolves may not be able to stop Curry entirely, but they have the personnel to make life difficult for him— and that could make all the difference.

Randle’s Reliability

In the first-round series against the Lakers, Julius Randle was the Timberwolves’ most consistent performer. Night after night, he reliably brought the ball up the floor, initiated the offense, and delivered in crucial moments. Defensively, he held his own against elite players like LeBron James and Luka Dončić. For Minnesota to succeed against the Warriors, Randle must maintain that same steadiness.

Defensively, he’ll likely be matched up against smaller, quicker players— and occasionally Jimmy Butler. In both cases, he must stay mentally locked in and avoid lapses in focus, such as ball-watching, which plagued him earlier in the season. Losing concentration for even a moment could prove costly against a team like Golden State, known for relentless ball and player movement.

Offensively, Randle just needs to keep playing his game. When matched up against smaller defenders — a frequent possibility against the undersized Warriors — he must exploit those mismatches. Getting him the ball in the post in those situations will be key to his and the team’s offensive success.

If Randle can carry his first-round performance into this series, the Timberwolves’ chances of advancing to the Western Conference Finals will significantly improve.

Ant-Man’s Ascendence

Anthony Edwards has a major opportunity to elevate his standing in the NBA. Eliminating yet another all-time great in Steph Curry — and a team with a championship pedigree like the Warriors — would be a massive addition to his growing résumé. To do that, Edwards will need to stick to the formula that brought him success in the first round.

That means making smart decisions, minimizing turnovers, and staying aggressive in attacking the basket. The Warriors are a very good defensive team, but their lack of size should allow Edwards to score in the paint. Golden State is also known for getting careless with the ball, so if Edwards and the Timberwolves can take care of their possessions and win the turnover battle, it could swing the series in their favor.

Equally important will be Edwards’ ability to stay composed. Warriors veterans Green and Butler won’t hesitate to bait Edwards into isolation-heavy, “hero ball” with their trash talk. If Edwards can keep his cool and continue trusting his teammates by willingly moving the ball and maintaining the team’s offensive flow, the Timberwolves will be much harder to contain.

Of course, Edwards still needs to be a scoring force— creating three-point opportunities, driving to the rim, drawing fouls, and kicking out to open shooters. But he must avoid falling into the trap of thinking that his scoring total alone will determine the outcome. His ability to lead, create, and make winning plays — beyond just putting up points — will be crucial to Minnesota’s chances of advancing.

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An Exciting Series

Timberwolves–Warriors has all the ingredients for a spectacular series. With bright lights, big stars, and player beefs, expect a ton of physicality and plenty of trash talk. It promises to be fascinating from start to finish.

Game 1 tips off Tuesday, May 6 at 8:30 p.m. CT on TNT.

Game 2 follows on Thursday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. CT, also on TNT.