MINNEAPOLIS – Along with his battered proper thumb wrapped tightly with a black bandage after surviving a seven-game combat with the Rockets, Warriors famous person Steph Curry predicted one other powerful sequence awaits Golden State in opposition to Minnesota within the second spherical.
“You expect physicality, and you expect a bruise-it-out series,” Curry stated after shootaround at Goal Middle on Tuesday morning.
Curry stated that his thumb “is in a great place” however famous that it’s virtually not possible to keep away from having it hit throughout video games, one thing the Rockets did usually throughout a sequence the place he nonetheless averaged 24 factors per recreation.
Very like Houston, the Wolves depend on a two-big lineup with Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert, and have a superior athlete at capturing guard in Anthony Edwards.
That’s the place the similarities finish, although.
“Minnesota is a different setup, and they have different patterns they rely on,” Curry stated. “Obviously Ant is playing at a high level, and Rudy, what he did in Game 5 of the first round was insane.”
Warriors nemesis Gobert put up 27 factors and grabbed 23 rebounds within the closeout recreation in opposition to the Lakers, and can be a handful no matter whether or not he’s defended by Draymond Inexperienced, Kevon Looney or Quinten Submit.
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after Sport 7 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff sequence in opposition to the Houston Rockets Sunday, Might 4, 2025, in Houston. (AP Picture/Ashley Landis)
However Edwards is the person the Warriors anticipate to key on within the second spherical. The 23-year-old with a penchant for taking down superstars was a teammate of Curry’s on the Paris Olympics.
“He just brought great energy every day in practice and during games,” Curry stated of Edwards. “He understood his role on that team was different than what he does here in Minnesota. He transitioned well, and we needed that youthfulness and confidence, and even that chatter.”
Now opponents, Curry detailed why it’s so tough to defend Edwards, the NBA’s chief in 3-pointers made (320) and a well-rounded leaper who additionally threw down 54 dunks in the course of the common season.
“He gets good looks from 3 because you have to respect the drive, and when you press up, he can get by,” Curry stated. “I don’t know how much you can take away from him, it’s just (that) you have to try to make every possession as difficult as possible.”
The groups performed 4 instances in the course of the common season, however Curry didn’t imagine there was a lot to glean from these earlier matchups, for the reason that final one occurred in January, earlier than the blockbuster commerce that despatched Jimmy Butler (a former Timberwolves participant) from Miami to the Bay Space.
4 months after their final recreation, Curry’s objective for the two-game set in Minneapolis is simple.
“We want to get at least one of the two here, and we’d like it to be tonight,” Curry stated.
