2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs #7 Golden State Warriors (GSW leads 1-0)

[Loaf_of_bread]

How did Warriors win the regular season series 3-1 over Wolves?

Was earlier in the season. Wolves were playing terribly. Julius didn't understand his role. Jaden and Ant weren't playing all that hot. Naz and Julius didn't figure out how to play together. Finch seems slow to get results from losing/adding key players.
Even a bit of tension going on from within.

Things are different now. Team has come together. Ant, Jaden, and Naz are very good playoff guys. Julius had a hell of a series vs. LAL.

Wolves are too defensively versatile for whatever adjustments GSW make.

Wolves are much longer, but as a whole not great at the fundamentals of rebounding. Shouldn't really matter though.

At the end of the day, when you watch these 2 teams play, the length, physicality, and athleticism of the Wolves will stand out as if watching a high school varsity team vs. the JV team.

The JV team though has the best shooter of all time, a try-hard, and a psychopath on their side.

Can the JV team pull off a singular win in a best of 7.. maybe, but that's about it.

You do realize GS won 3-1... without Jimmy. So while Minny certainly played better post ASB, GS's post ASB record and stats are all significantly better than Minny's.

Regular season bb isn't the same. GS is in for a rude awakening. Wolves aligned for playoff bb

[runtmc]

Was earlier in the season. Wolves were playing terribly. Julius didn't understand his role. Jaden and Ant weren't playing all that hot. Naz and Julius didn't figure out how to play together. Finch seems slow to get results from losing/adding key players.
Even a bit of tension going on from within.

Things are different now. Team has come together. Ant, Jaden, and Naz are very good playoff guys. Julius had a hell of a series vs. LAL.

Wolves are too defensively versatile for whatever adjustments GSW make.

Wolves are much longer, but as a whole not great at the fundamentals of rebounding. Shouldn't really matter though.

At the end of the day, when you watch these 2 teams play, the length, physicality, and athleticism of the Wolves will stand out as if watching a high school varsity team vs. the JV team.

The JV team though has the best shooter of all time, a try-hard, and a psychopath on their side.

Can the JV team pull off a singular win in a best of 7.. maybe, but that's about it.

You do realize GS won 3-1... without Jimmy. So while Minny certainly played better post ASB, GS's post ASB record and stats are all significantly better than Minny's.

Regular season bb isn't the same. GS is in for a rude awakening. Wolves aligned for playoff bb

Hey, its good you have confidence in your team -- Ive always had a soft spot for MIN and its fans. We'll see in a week or two who was right If it isnt us, I hope you guys are the ones to knock off OKC. Good luck in the series.

[Loaf_of_bread]

You do realize GS won 3-1... without Jimmy. So while Minny certainly played better post ASB, GS's post ASB record and stats are all significantly better than Minny's.

Regular season bb isn't the same. GS is in for a rude awakening. Wolves aligned for playoff bb

Hey, its good you have confidence in your team -- Ive always had a soft spot for MIN and its fans. We'll see in a week or two who was right If it isnt us, I hope you guys are the ones to knock off OKC. Good luck in the series.

Best of luck with Jimmy. He'll eventually cause problems out there..

[Upperclass]

Wolves are a worst team than the Rockets and playing vs the Rockets made the Warriors a better team than they were coming in. The Dubs will win the series 4-2 imo.

[DonaldSanders]

Ok, could you also address the elephant in the room?

Ant has averaged less than Steph in these match-ups, so maybe you should be the one addressing?

But seriously, I am more worried about the Wolves' defense and role players than containing Ant. Ant like most great players will get his, but can you beat a great defense and limit the role players?

Series will be decided on how well the role players do, which does give Minnesota a bit of an edge.

[TimberKat]

You do realize GS won 3-1... without Jimmy. So while Minny certainly played better post ASB, GS's post ASB record and stats are all significantly better than Minny's.

Regular season bb isn't the same. GS is in for a rude awakening. Wolves aligned for playoff bb

Hey, its good you have confidence in your team -- Ive always had a soft spot for MIN and its fans. We'll see in a week or two who was right If it isnt us, I hope you guys are the ones to knock off OKC. Good luck in the series.

Yes, it's fun to speculate but just like Luka said at the beginning of last round - "Enough Talk, Let's Fight!!" Just hope Green doesn't take it literally.

[Twinkie defense]

So instead, they drafted that "fireball of intensity" James Wiseman. SMH. Imagine how much better they would be if they drafted better?

2009 NBA Draft:

5. Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves (from Washington)
6. Jonny Flynn, Minnesota Timberwolves
7. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

[durden_tyler]

Line dropping to Warriors +6.0 an hour away from gametime. Good news for Wolves backers as it seems public money is on Golden State!

Go Minnesota!!!


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[TimberKat]

So instead, they drafted that "fireball of intensity" James Wiseman. SMH. Imagine how much better they would be if they drafted better?

2009 NBA Draft:

5. Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves (from Washington)
6. Jonny Flynn, Minnesota Timberwolves
7. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Yes, we all know how great Minnesota drafted in the past and I could give you a list 10 times longer. The question is about GSW's decision in 2020 to continue the dynasty and their draft philosophy.

Anyway, Curry is overrated and GWS could had won a couple more chips had they taken DeRozan or Jrue Holiday

[LSWF]

This is, not unlike the Lakers, a very bad match up for the Warriors.

First, there is not a single Ant stopper on the other side. I know double teams frustrate him at times, but he has learned to trust his team to punish those double teams. And they do.

Second, the false narratives. Rudy will be played off the floor. Rudy is one of the very best drop coverage centers of all time. bbb but hes french and nobody likes him, He'll be exposed. He can't defend in space. He has heard this noise and is ready to shut these narratives down.

Julius is a poor PO performer. Have people even taken a look at his running mates in those PO games. Now he has a good supporting cast and is bullying his way to a terrific redemption story. Rudy and Julius have been raked over the coals in the media for years. I think they have had enough of it.

Third, the Timberwolves are stacked with two way players. McDaniels, Reid, Alexander-Walker, DiVincenzo and Conley are not "star" players, but they are quality professional hoopers.

Fourth, the coaching staff has done an outstanding job. The task of finding the roles, managing the egos and getting by-in to the schemes is showing that this staff is doing their job.

Good luck to all you Warrior fans. Should be a fun series.

[Twinkie defense]

The question is about GSW's decision in 2020 to continue the dynasty and their draft philosophy.

2020 was a bad draft - not much star power, not much depth, and it was during the pandemic so not only did you not have as much game film you couldn't work guys out as much.

Of course Minny won the coin flip and Ant wasn't on the board for the Warriors. I was for drafting LaMelo. But I understand why teams want to take a gamble on 7' athletes. Happens every season - even when you have a lot of game tape and can do some real workouts.

Warriors probably were grasping for the "two timelines" and would have been better trading that pick for some solid role players... if teams would have been up for a trade. But the draft as a whole is a crap shoot. Personally, if I didn't have a LeBron, Wemby, Tim Duncan, Cooper Flagg-type pick I'd rather trade those picks for proven commodities

Between the Curry, Klay, Draymond picks and the last two drafts (Podz, Post) Warriors have come up pretty empty in the draft. And that includes not only Wiseman but also Kuminga, who the Warriors got with the pick they got from the Wolves in the Andrew Wiggins trade.

[Twinkie defense]

This is, not unlike the Lakers, a very bad match up for the Warriors.

IDK who will win but I think this is a very favorable matchup for the Warriors. I would much rather play the Wolves than say the Nuggets or Clippers. In fact I find it weird that you think it's a bad matchup for the Warriors, did you not watch the regular season games?

Biggest negative factor for the Warriors, IMO, is not the matchup, but that they are an older team, fighting through some injuries, coming off a rough seven-game series with no break. Not the matchup.

[TimberKat]

The question is about GSW's decision in 2020 to continue the dynasty and their draft philosophy.

2020 was a bad draft - not much star power, not much depth, and it was during the pandemic so not only did you not have as much game film you couldn't work guys out as much.

Of course Minny won the coin flip and Ant wasn't on the board for the Warriors. I was for drafting LaMelo. But I understand why teams want to take a gamble on 7' athletes. Happens every season - even when you have a lot of game tape and can do some real workouts.

Warriors probably were grasping for the "two timelines" and would have been better trading that pick for some solid role players... if teams would have been up for a trade. But the draft as a whole is a crap shoot. Personally, if I didn't have a LeBron, Wemby, Tim Duncan, Cooper Flagg-type pick I'd rather trade those picks for proven commodities

Between the Curry, Klay, Draymond picks and the last two drafts (Podz, Post) Warriors have come up pretty empty in the draft. And that includes not only Wiseman but also Kuminga, who the Warriors got with the pick they got from the Wolves in the Andrew Wiggins trade.

True. Wolves also considered Wiseman. I like Ball but don't think a small market team can handle Ball Sr. I think GSW should get Ball, even though he was not a need. Where as Wiseman plays a needed position.

[LSWF]

This is, not unlike the Lakers, a very bad match up for the Warriors.

IDK who will win but I think this is a very favorable matchup for the Warriors. I would much rather play the Wolves than say the Nuggets or Clippers. In fact I find it weird that you think it's a bad matchup for the Warriors, did you not watch the regular season games?

Biggest negative factor for the Warriors, IMO, is not the matchup, but that they are an older team, fighting through some injuries, coming off a rough seven-game series with no break. Not the matchup.

I watch every Wolves game. I watch a ton of other games as well. I may end up looking like a fool after this series. I think the Wolves are on a run.

[___Rand___]

Woa the lead is single digits!

[___Rand___]

wrong thread lol

[Slim Tubby]

It would be low-key embarrassing for the wolves to lose the series!

My Warriors are old and tired.

Reverse psychology is a Flagrant 2 and an immediate ejection from the board.

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[xdrta+]

Line dropping to Warriors +6.0 an hour away from gametime. Good news for Wolves backers as it seems public money is on Golden State!

Go Minnesota!!!


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More like 7.5 was an overlay, so some money came in on the Warriors. There is a credible theory that you always bet an overlay. Not that big a deal.

[jagrmeister]

Buddy Hield wardrobe malfunction stopping play

[Mamba81p]

So instead, they drafted that "fireball of intensity" James Wiseman. SMH. Imagine how much better they would be if they drafted better?

2009 NBA Draft:

5. Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves (from Washington)
6. Jonny Flynn, Minnesota Timberwolves
7. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Yes, we all know how great Minnesota drafted in the past and I could give you a list 10 times longer. The question is about GSW's decision in 2020 to continue the dynasty and their draft philosophy.

Anyway, Curry is overrated and GWS could had won a couple more chips had they taken DeRozan or Jrue Holiday

Bad attempt at sarcasm?