The Minnesota Timberwolves rapidly defeated the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, eliminating the 2022 NBA champion team in just five matches as they played without their two-time MVP Stephen Curry for much of the series because of a strained hamstring.
In the 2017 season, Golden State’s Defensive Player of the Year and four-time NBA champion Draymond Green put forth considerable effort to keep his team’s campaign going. However, the 6-foot-6 defensive stalwart faced an uphill battle through the series.
In the second round, Minnesota’s three-time All-Star and 2021 Most Improved Player recipient Julius Randle showcased his prowess with averages of 25.2 points, 7.4 assists, and 6.6 rebounds per game at an astounding 62.9% true shooting clip. This performance propelled him past Green and the Warriors, eliminating them decisively from contention.
Green was assigned to guard Randle for much of the series, and the legendary defender ensured he did his job.
tip his cap
during a recent appearance on his podcast, he spoke about the Timberwolves’ multifaceted scoring forward.
The Draymond Green Show featuring Baron Davis.
“Julius is amazing,” Green said on Monday.
The way I see this series is similar to how I viewed the (2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors). That might have been my 34th playoff series, though I may be slightly off, perhaps by one or two. The only other time I felt I had lost my individual matchup as much was during the series with Toronto.
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It feels as though I misplaced my advantage when playing against Pascal Siakam.
“And this show makes me think of that other show since it’s not just that I felt like I was beaten, but I genuinely lost my match.”
Frankly, many of the attempts he was making were ones you’d hope for, and he successfully converted them. Ultimately, games often hinge on crucial shooting moments, and he delivered when it mattered most.
I have to acknowledge him; he outperformed me, genuinely. To be clear, I’m not someone who shies away from reality. He was a challenging opponent, one of the most difficult I faced during the playoffs.
The four-time All-Star and eight-time All-Defensive Team honoree, Green, had nothing but great things to say about Minnesota’s standout player, and those compliments were thoroughly justified.
On May 14th, during the Timberwolves’ decisive Game 5 win, Randle scored an impressive 29 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out five assists, maintaining a remarkable field-goal percentage of 72.2%. He played actively throughout the intense 42-minute match, which earned him significant recognition from the Warriors’ upcoming Hall of Famer. This performance also propelled his team into the Western Conference Finals for the second year running.
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