The Minnesota Timberwolves sealed their NBA Western Conference Semifinals series with authority, defeating the Golden State Warriors 121–110 in Game 5 at Target Center. With the 4–1 series victory, Anthony Edwards punches the team’s ticket to the next round and sends the Warriors into an early summer.
Edwards continues his evolution into one of the league’s premier postseason performers. After easing into the series, the All-Star guard erupted in Game 5 with a playoff career high of 12 assists, adding 22 points and 7 rebounds. He also chipped in 3 blocks and a steal, nearly completing a triple-double in one of the most complete games of his career.
The Timberwolves’ dominance wasn’t limited to their franchise cornerstone. Six players scored in double figures, a testament to Minnesota’s balance and unselfishness. From role players to veterans, the entire roster contributed on both ends of the floor, showing the kind of cohesion championship teams are built on.
Golden State, on the other hand, struggled to generate consistent offense. Star veterans Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green were both held under 20 points, and although they made an impact defensively, it wasn’t enough to shift the momentum. With Stephen Curry sidelined due to injury, the scoring load fell to younger pieces like Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga.
Kuminga, coming off the bench, averaged 24 points per game in the series and was one of the lone bright spots for the Warriors. His aggressive play and scoring punch kept Golden State within reach at times, but the gap in experience and execution eventually proved too much to overcome.
Julius Randle delivered arguably his finest NBA playoff series to date. Often criticized for inconsistency, Randle was a model of composure and impact across all five games. In the closeout performance, he tallied 29 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists over 42 minutes, overpowering Golden State’s frontcourt with the help of Rudy Gobert.
Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Quentin Post had no answer for the physicality Minnesota imposed in the paint. The Randle-Gobert combination dominated inside, controlling the glass and punishing Golden State on second-chance opportunities and interior mismatches.
With this win, Anthony Edwards continues to build one of the most compelling early-career playoff résumés in recent memory. After eliminating Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in the 2024 first round and knocking out Nikola Jokic in the semifinals that same year, he has now dispatched Luka Doncic and LeBron James in Round 1 of 2025—and added Butler and Curry to the list in Round 2. He’s quickly earning the title of “legend killer,” and while Minnesota celebrates, one can’t help but wonder—what if the Chef had stayed healthy?