Timberwolves 117-93 Warriors, who is the pillar of this game

On May 9, 2025, in the G2 of the NBA Playoff Western Conference Semi-Finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Golden State Warriors 117-93 at home, tied the series to 1-1. In the first quarter, the Timberwolves made a double-digit advantage with Jaden McDaniels' strong start of 8 points in a single quarter, and made a 13-0 shock wave. In the second quarter, Anthony Edwards made consecutive breakthroughs to create damage, helping the team lead by 17 points in the half-time; in the third quarter, the Warriors once closed the score difference to single digits, but the Timberwolves cut off the opponent's external contact through joint defense strategies; in the last quarter, Naz Reed's substitute lineup made two consecutive three-pointers to completely kill the suspense. In this game, the Timberwolves scored in double digits, showing an amazing lineup depth. This victory not only injected suspense into the series, but also caused a stir in the Western Conference.

What wonderful performances are the stars in today's Timberwolves vs. Warriors? Let's take a look at the game data and you can see it at a glance.

Jaden McDaniels - Small Forward: Scored 16 points, 2 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 blocks, 1 turnover, 7-10 shot, 2-4 three-pointers, 1-2 free throws.

His performance today is a model of offense and defense. All seven attacks on the offensive end were concentrated in the reasonable collision zone and the bottom corner three-pointers, accurately grasping the opportunity to convert the offensive, and three consecutive fast break dunks in the first quarter ignited the atmosphere at home. The defensive end showed the best defensive lineup of the year. When defending the Warriors core Butler alone, he suppressed his shooting percentage to 3 of 6 shots, and even gave away three big hats in assisting defense. Its height of 2.06 meters and its 2.13 meters wingspan perfectly implements the Timberwolves' "contraction-rotation" defensive strategy. It blocked Podjemsky's chase in the critical period of the third quarter, directly stifling the Warriors' counterattack momentum.

Julius Randle - Power Forward: Scored 24 points, 7 rebounds and 11 assists, shot 10-17, 3-4 three-pointers, and 3-3 free throws.

His performance today redefines the value of the modern four. As the tactical axis, 7 of its 11 assists came from the elbow area. After using back-to-body singles to attract double-teams, they accurately found the weak side three-point shooter. Although there was no blocked shot on the defensive end, the first line of defense was built with its 116 kilogram body weight, causing the Warriors' inside shooting percentage to fall below 45%. The "double star connection" with Edwards at the decisive moment is an art. The 5-minute and 11-second third quarter passed the ball across the half, showing the top court vision.

Rudy Gobert - Center: Scored 5 points and 9 rebounds, shot 2-4, free throws 1-4.

Today's performance explains what the cornerstone of the defensive system is. Four of the 9 rebounds were key defensive rebounds that directly destroyed the Warriors' pick-and-roll tactics. Their 2.35-meter standing height completely blocked the penalty area, forcing the Warriors to hit only 18 goals in the game for 42 inside shots. Although the data on the offensive end is mediocre, 15 high-quality covers have created 27 points for teammates, including Edwards's bottom line breakthrough dunk that shocked everyone. The first three consecutive changes to Kumingga were successfully replaced in the first quarter, proving the evolution of his footsteps and movement ability.

Anthony Edwards - Scoring guard: scored 20 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, shot 6-13, three-pointers 2-4, free throws 6-8.

Today he performed like a sharp blade unsheathed. In the second quarter, facing the Warriors' joint defense, he scored three consecutive strong breakthroughs to 2+1, of which 5 minutes and 42 seconds was filled with the folding layup completed by Davis, showing the terrifying core strength. All three steals on the defensive end were converted into fast break points. His height of 2.03 meters and a weight of 111 kilograms made the opponent make 4 mistakes when defending Green. The key data is reflected in plus-negative values ​​+21, and when it is present, the Timberwolves net better than 28 points per 100 rounds.

Mike Conley - Point Guard: Scored 6 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists, shot 2-5, and 2-4 three-pointers.

His performance today is a master of rhythm. Two consecutive three-pointers in the corner in the first quarter set the tone of the game, and his 41.7% three-point shooting percentage perfectly supported the team's space. Although there are no steals on the defensive end, the command line is not leaking. Behind the Warriors' 23 assists but 17 mistakes in the game is Conley's prediction of the passing route. What is even more commendable is the control of the game rhythm. When the Warriors chased to the 8-point gap in the third quarter, their attacks were exhausted by three consecutive 24 seconds of attack.

Naz Reed - Best substitute: 11 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists, 4-10 shots, 3-8 three-pointers.

His performance today redefines the value of the sixth man. As the league's top space fifth position, its three-point shooting percentage of 37.5% forced the Warriors not to shrink their defense line, and they directly stopped their opponents by two consecutive three-pointers in the early stage of the final quarter. Although there was no block on the defensive end, he successfully switched to Bogemsky for three rounds with his agility, including 1 minute and 58 seconds of chasing from outside the three-point line to the basket, becoming one of the best defensive rounds in this game. The collective outbreak of the Timberwolves bench was amazing. Shannon contributed two steals in the last time were like a Cheetah attack. Minot's grasp of the timing of the empty cut was not as good as a rookie. Although Divincenzo made 3 of 9 three-pointers, his off-ball run involved the Warriors' defensive attention. Especially ticker, the two-way contract player contributed 2 points and 1 rebound in 4 minutes, and his active fighting won the team additional offensive rounds. This amazingly deep substitute lineup is the biggest capital for the Timberwolves to strive for the championship.