Can Anthony Edwards dethrone Steph Curry? Top 5 storylines to watch ahead of Warriors vs Timberwolves playoffs series
Anthony Edwards' Minnesota Timberwolves are set to battle Steph Curry's Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals. Game 1 of the best-of-seven clash will be on Tuesday at Target Center in Minneapolis.
Let's dive into the top storylines of the second-round series between the Warriors and the Timberwolves.
Top five storylines to watch in the Warriors-Timberwolves series
#5 Young guns vs. veterans (again)
The Western Conference semifinal series against the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves mirrors their respective first-round clashes, a young and upcoming team going up against a squad with title aspirations led by a battle-tested star.
Minnesota won against LeBron James and the No. 3 LA Lakers via a 4-1 "gentleman sweep," while Steph Curry's Golden State wrapped their series against the second-seeded Houston Rockets in seven games. The Rockets are led by 22-year-old first-time All-Star Alperen Sengun.
Being the lower seeds in the opening round, many pundits did not predict the No. 6 Minnesota vs. the seventh-placed Golden State in the second round. However, this series promises to be an exciting one.
#4 Draymond Green and Anthony Edwards' trash talk
Following the Warriors' 103-89 series-clinching win that secured a second-round matchup against the Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards' viral trash talk with Draymond Green resurfaced online. In a game between the Warriors and the Timberwolves on Nov. 12, 2023, Edwards and Green went back and forth:
"You think I’m gonna give you a layup? Fu** outta here," Green said. "What are you gonna do about it?!"
Edwards said in response:
"Ain't nobody worried about you bruh. Hell nah n**ga, I promise you that."
#3 Draymond Green's beef against Rudy Gobert
In addition to Edwards, Green has a heated history with another Timberwolves player. Just two days after the Edwards-Green incident, Green locked horns with Rudy Gobert. Less than two minutes into an in-season tournament game on Nov. 14, 2023, Green and Gobert figured in what will be a viral altercation.
Minnesota's Jaden McDaniels and former Golden State star Klay Thompson started the exchange that prompted Green to join and put the French center into a lengthy headlock from behind. Green was subsequently suspended by the league for five games, which cost the 6-foot-6 forward $769,704.
#2 Jimmy Butler back in Minnesota
Jimmy Butler had a much-publicized exit from Minnesota in 2018. The six-time All-Star requested a trade shortly after that season's training camp. The two-month saga ended with Butler being shipped to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Before the deal, Butler made it clear that he would not re-sign with the Timberwolves when his contract ends the following summer. The trade request forced the hands of the franchise as they could not risk losing the 6-foot-7 forward for nothing.
"Don’t ask me about Minnesota," Butler said Sunday following Golden State’s Game 7 win.
The Target Center crowd can be expected to welcome their former star with loud boos.
#1 Superstar matchup between Anthony Edwards and Steph Curry
There was much debate about Anthony Edwards being the face of the league. The two-time All-Star emerged as one of the NBA's stars, and he is trying to lead a long-struggling franchise to a championship. Edwards led Minnesota to a conference finals appearance last season.
On the other hand, Curry has a case for being the face of the NBA. A four-time champion and a two-time league MVP, he has all the accolades.
While it will be interesting to see how Gobert's beef with Green will unfold in a best-of-seven series and how Minnesota fans welcome Butler, keeping an eye on the matchup between the series' superstars is also interesting.
