2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West Semifinals: #6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs #7 Golden State Warriors (Series tied 1-1)

[bisme37]

Game 2: Thursday May 8, 8:30pm ET on TNT

Enjoy the game Wolves and Warriors pals, I hope your team doesn't suck!





Continued from here: https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2457264

[Klomp]

For whatever reason, Minnesota's offense tends to disappear for entire games at times during the playoffs. But I'm honestly not overly concerned right now, because our defense has not disappeared. Our defensive rating is 109.6 in the playoffs, only OKC has been better in the playoffs.

I'm fairly certain the pendulum would have swung in favor of GSW if Curry was healthy. I've said it before, and i'll say it again: The Wolves defense is elite, but there is a mountain of difference between guarding stationary players like Luka and Lebron straight up compared to a player in perpetual motion. Mental lapses gets exploited more often, and i don't see how the perimeter defense of the wolves are comparable to the rockets ones in terms of guarding the perimeter as a team against such movement. Curry has never really had any trouble at all with the minnesota defense, and was on his way to an easy 30+ in the first game.

Alas, we got very little Curry in this series, and even if he does get back he likely is compromised.

Regarding Curry's movement, I don't disagree with you at all. These are also exactly the kinds of players that have given Minnesota fits over the years. Similarly though, part of why I think Minnesota was so confident last year going into the Dallas series is because iso players had typically had their water shut off by the Minnesota defense, or at least shutting down "the others" while letting Luka cook. Luka obviously proved us wrong, but I think that series had more to do with the threat of Lively and Gafford affecting how we defended Luka rather than anything Luka did individually. And this year, we saw the defense went back to largely shutting down Luka's team because they didn't have the same threats as the Mavericks did the year prior.

What does this have to do with Curry? For one, I think he's not Luka obviously. As you laid out, it's harder to shut down Curry because of his state of perpetual movement. But now Curry's not available. Can Buddy impact a series and shift a defense in the same way? I think Butler can impact things, but it will look much different. Honestly, when they were healthy, I have compared his role in Golden State to when Andre Iguodala was there. Can that role lead the Warriors to a series win? I don't think he can elevate himself to a 1A star impact anymore, and I believe this is what Golden State might need to get through this series. But I'm sure he'll shift his mentality to "me and the third-stringers" again, and possibly prove me wrong.

[Wolfgang630]

Expecting a blowout

[HMFFL]

T Wolves are favored to win by 11 points.

Their frontcourt needs to rebound or else just stay home.



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[Mamba Mentality]

Read on Twitter

[EmpireFalls]

If Minnesota manages to lose this game, just cancel the series and give Steph the time to rest up. This would be one of the most embarrassing losses in playoff history.

[Twinkie defense]

Expecting a blowout

That would be tough. Will Minny be able to come back from 0-2?

[HMFFL]

If Minnesota manages to lose this game, just cancel the series and give Steph the time to rest up. This would be one of the most embarrassing losses in playoff history.

The poor three point shooting has been one thing, but the frontcourt must step up, because the lack of rebounding has been pathetic. Rudy showed up game one but Ant lead the team with 14 boards.

If they win this roster stays intact if they lose who knows what happens.

Julius Randle and Naz Reid have player options.

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[AbeVigodaLive]

Expecting a blowout

I'm expecting a very rough game early.

Without Curry... Minnesota is much more talented. GSW should struggle to score consistently against the Timberwolves solid defense. So, one way for a less talented team to keep it close is to muck it up. Why not push the envelope early to see what they can get away with.

GSW did a wonderful job of that in game 1. Any delay. Any chance to slow the game down. It all favors the undermanned team on the road. And that's how Game 1 played out. A lot of substitutions from Kerr. A lot of playoffs pushing and shoving in crowded places. It all kept Minnesota off rhythm. And then once the Wolves shooters were in their own heads... the Warriors had 'em.

Shirley, Chris Finch knows all this. And maybe that's why he came out so damn early with the inevitable officiating complaints. Or, it was to stand up for a frustrated Gobert who he knows he needs.

Minnesota is shooting A LOT worse in the playoffs than the regular season behind the arc. (3 of their worst 4 shooting games of the entire season have been in the past 5 games). I don't see that changing too drastically in one game, especially with GSW being a good defensive team who knows they have to win that way. I think they still struggle more than usual.

Ugly game, but it would be inexcusable if the Timberwolves don't win.




[Note: Finch's comments do come off as whiny... BUT... interestingly, both of the Warriors players who publicly spoke on his comments agreed that they're fouling the Timberwolves. So... whiny or not. Too early or not... hypocritical or not... Finch isn't wrong that fouls aren't being called. (Technically)]

[xdrta+]

[Note: Finch's comments do come off as whiny... BUT... interestingly, both of the Warriors players who publicly spoke on his comments agreed that they're fouling the Timberwolves. So... whiny or not. Too early or not... hypocritical or not... Finch isn't wrong that fouls aren't being called. (Technically)]

They took that from the Rockets playbook, you gear your game to however the officials are calling it. Kerr responded to Finch's comments with clips of Curry being grabbed and held (more uncalled fouls) which he claimed they were also going to send to the league. But his comments were more along the lines of, 'that's the way the playoffs are now,' though he doesn't like it.

[Optms]

Dubs just beat the Wolves without Curry.

Wouldn't shock me if they go up 2-0. Expecting a Wolves win but also expecting Jimmy to take over.

[DonaldSanders]

Dubs just beat the Wolves without Curry.

Wouldn't shock me if they go up 2-0. Expecting a Wolves win but also expecting Jimmy to take over.

I mean the Warriors won by 11 and were +10 in the Steph minutes. I'm not so confident... now Minnesota gets to gameplan for the Curry-less Warriors and some of the players that might have been more of a surprise like Pat Spencer. And they faced a battle-hardened team that won a tough series, vs. a soft Laker team that played poor defense and mostly iso'd. Game 1 was a wakeup call, I think the Wolves will answer that call tonight.

The Wolves also are unlikely to shoot from 3 so poorly, and the Warriors unlikely to be so hot from 3. I think GS's focus has to be to try to win 1 out of the next 3 games and hope Steph can make it back later in the series. If the Warriors somehow win tonight, it will probably be with both Buddy and Jimmy going for 30.

[AbeVigodaLive]

[Note: Finch's comments do come off as whiny... BUT... interestingly, both of the Warriors players who publicly spoke on his comments agreed that they're fouling the Timberwolves. So... whiny or not. Too early or not... hypocritical or not... Finch isn't wrong that fouls aren't being called. (Technically)]

They took that from the Rockets playbook, you gear your game to however the officials are calling it. Kerr responded to Finch's comments with clips of Curry being grabbed and held (more uncalled fouls) which he claimed they were also going to send to the league. But his comments were more along the lines of, 'that's the way the playoffs are now,' though he doesn't like it.

Totally.

It was amusing in a frustrating way to watch Houston manhandle Curry. "More physical playoff basketball" is a good thing. "So physical it doesn't resemble basketball" is a very bad thing.

Obviously, Game 1 of the GSW vs. MN series didn't reach anywhere close to that level. But I think Finch was working the room pre-emptively in hopes to avoid that style since it would obviously benefit GSW without Curry.

[TimberKat]

Expecting a blowout

By which team ?

[Dan33185]

If the Wolves lose tonight, it's over, if you can't beat a Curry-less team at home after coming off an embarrasing loss, I can't see how they win 4 out of the next 5 games after that.

[nbafan38]

It'll be interesting to see if the warriors show up tonight or are content with the split since they seemed to barely share up for games 2 and 5 in Houston.

[TimberKat]

Expecting a blowout

Shirley, Chris Finch knows all this. And maybe that's why he came out so damn early with the inevitable officiating complaints. Or, it was to stand up for a frustrated Gobert who he knows he needs.

[Note: Finch's comments do come off as whiny... BUT... interestingly, both of the Warriors players who publicly spoke on his comments agreed that they're fouling the Timberwolves. So... whiny or not. Too early or not... hypocritical or not... Finch isn't wrong that fouls aren't being called. (Technically)]

I challenge Finch to come back with a better offensive game plan. Wolves were ill prepared for GSW's defense approach. Finch is whiny but still, don't call him Shirley.

[Castle Black]

It'll be interesting to see if the warriors show up tonight or are content with the split since they seemed to barely share up for games 2 and 5 in Houston.

Seems like they always play hard regardless of who's on the floor. They're a well-coached veteran squad, I'm sure they'll be ready to compete.

That said, Minnesota has to win this one or they're an unserious team.

[NZB2323]

T Wolves are favored to win by 11 points.

Their frontcourt needs to rebound or else just stay home.



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That seems like too much. The Warriors are 9-3 without Curry in the playoffs, we’ve seen Butler go off in the playoffs, and even if the Wolves get a huge lead, we’ve seen big comebacks in the playoffs. The Wolves could have a 30 point lead at halftime and if the Warriors cut it to 10 and end up losing by 10, you’d win your bet if you bet on the Warriors.

[Rubio9Guy]

Dubs just beat the Wolves without Curry.

Wouldn't shock me if they go up 2-0. Expecting a Wolves win but also expecting Jimmy to take over.

It would absolutely be shocking if the Warriors win tonight.