Huazi 22+12 Butler 17 points The Timberwolves eliminated the Warriors and advanced to the Western Conference Finals: The victory of the double tower strangle and the youth storm!

The dome at the

target center was whistled on the evening of May 15, 2025. When the final whistle pierced the night sky of the Denver Plateau, the Timberwolves defeated the Warriors 121-110 freeze, and the young team eliminated the defending champion with a total score of 4-1 and entered the Western Conference Finals again since 2004. Anthony Edwards's 22-point and 12-assist performance is in stark contrast to Jimmy Butler's 17-point struggle, which is not only a victory in a tactical game, but also a declaration of the alternation of basketball generations.

1. Tactical Game: The Twin Towers strangle and the crushing of the Youth Storm

At the beginning of the game, the Timberwolves used the "Twin Towers Tactics" - Gobert and Randall were in the inside. Gobert scored 8 points in the first quarter with 4 shots, and took the lead in the Warriors' penalty area with a height advantage of 2.16 meters. Randall turned into the offensive axis, hitting two three-pointers in a single quarter and making 4 assists, driving the team to make 4 of 7 three-pointers. The Warriors' "five small lineup" was exhausted from height disadvantage, losing 18 points in the penalty area in the first quarter and lagged behind 11-18 in rebounds.

The situation suddenly changed in the second quarter, and Warriors rookie Pojemsky made two consecutive three-pointers to narrow the gap, but the Timberwolves immediately adjusted their tactics: Edwards started the breakthrough and passed the ball mode, assisting Conley and Divinchenzo in succession to hit three-pointers; Randall used a misplaced single to Green and scored 15 points in a single quarter. When Gobert completed an all-match dunk at the end of the second quarter, the Timberwolves had widened the gap to 15 points, and the Warriors' joint defense system completely collapsed.

The third quarter became the winner. The Timberwolves continue the "integration of internal and external" strategy: Gobert dunks continuously, Edwards and Conley fired shots from the outside, and scored 4 three-pointers in a single quarter; the Warriors fell into a single trap, but Butler made only 4 of 11 shots, and although Kumingga scored 12 points, it was difficult to drive the overall situation. The fatal thing is that the Timberwolves scored a 17-0 attack wave in this quarter, Edwards made two long three-pointers in a row, and Randall made a breakthrough and made a throw-in, completely shattering the Warriors' psychological defense.

2. Superstar showdown: Edwards' evolution and Butler's dilemma

Edwards showed maturity beyond age in this game. He made 8 of 15 shots and 5 of 9 three-pointers, giving away a career-high 12 assists in the playoffs, while contributing three blocks at the same time. At the critical moment of the third quarter, he made two consecutive three-pointers and assisted Gobert with an all-in-one match, scoring 11 points in a single quarter, plus or negative values ​​+ 15. This dual attribute of "Commander + Terminator" makes him the engine of the Timberwolves' offensive and defensive conversion. What is more worth noting is that Edwards averaged 26.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists in the series, with a shooting percentage of 47.5% + 44.2% + 69.2% in three events, and a real shooting percentage of 62.1%, which is comparable to Kobe's in the same period.

In contrast, Butler, the 36-year-old veteran is trapped in the "efficiency trap." He made 4 of 11 shots and 0 of 3-pointers, and despite scoring six rebounds and six assists, the plus-negative value - 17 lowest in the game. What's even more fatal is that he exposed his physical weaknesses in the key battles of the series - he broke through three consecutive times in the last quarter and was blocked by Gobert, causing the Warriors' hope of chasing points. Data shows that Butler averaged only 21 points per game in his last 11 life-and-death games in the playoffs, with a true shooting percentage of 50.7%, far below the regular season level.

3. Data analysis: The victory password of team basketball

Behind this victory is the essence of "five-man basketball" interpreted by the Timberwolves with 36 assists. Conley made 5 of 7 shots on the bench, 4 of 6 three-pointers, contributing 16 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists, becoming the team's most stable rhythm controller; Divinchenzo made 5 of 7 shots, hit 3 three-pointers and sent 6 assists, and his "3D attributes" perfectly adapted to the tactical system; Gobert made 8 of 9 shots efficiently and efficiently scored 17 points and 8 rebounds, with a plus-negative value + 21 highest in the game, and the inside defense completely suppressed the Warriors. The three contributed 46 points in total, filling the offensive gap between Edwards and Randall.

The Warriors exposed the disadvantages of over-reliance on stars. Although Podjemsky scored 28 points (4 of 8 three-pointers) and Kumingga contributed 26 points, the two had only 4 assists in total, and the offensive system fell into singles mode. What’s even more deadly is that the Warriors made just 8 of 38 three-pointers (21.1% shooting), lost 58 points in the penalty area, and fell behind 42-52 in rebounds. When Curry was out of the game due to a hamstring injury, the Warriors' offensive efficiency plummeted by 8.1 points, and the flaw in the league's bottom six in the bench scoring ability was infinitely amplified.

4. Historical background: The Timberwolves' revival and the Warriors' dusk

This is the third time the Timberwolves has entered the Western Conference Finals in history, and it is also the first time since 2004 that it has advanced for two consecutive years. Their success comes from management's vision - the deal gets Gobert to build an inside barrier, renews Randall to build a dual-core driver, and trains Edwards to become the core of the future. This combination of "young core + veteran experience" makes the Timberwolves one of the most competitive teams in the league.

In contrast, behind the Warriors' three consecutive years of suspension to the Western Conference semi-finals is the dual dilemma of aging and lineup imbalance. Curry's absence exposed the team's excessive dependence on him. Green and Butler's athletic ability declined, resulting in a sharp decline in defensive coverage, while Kumingga's incompatibility with the system has become increasingly difficult to recover. What's even more ironic is that the Warriors have a salary of up to $180 million this season, but they were crushed by the Timberwolves' "civilian lineup" in a key battle. The management's signing strategy needs to be reflected on.

5. Future Outlook: Challenges and Opportunities on the Western Conference Finals Stage

Timberwolves will play against the winners of the Nuggets and Thunder in the next round. If facing the Nuggets, Gobert needs to limit Jokic's support (only allowed him to send 5.2 assists per game in the series), and Edwards' impact against Murray will become the key; if against the Thunder, Alexander's average of 35 points per game will test the Timberwolves' per game defense, but Edwards's "killer instinct" (29% score rate in the final quarter of the series) may become the winner. Whoever the opponent is, the Timberwolves’ “two towers + space-type flanking” configuration has proven the compatibility of traditional inside lines with modern basketball, and this tactical innovation could lead the league’s new trend. The

Warriors stood at the intersection. Curry's health determines the team's upper limit, and management needs to solve the problem of aging lineup in the offseason - trading young is a battle force (such as targeting Jazz Markkanen) and reducing the tactical load on Curry may be the first step in reconstruction. When Curry threw a towel on the bench, what we saw was not only a failure, but also the end of an era.

The significance of this showdown is far beyond the outcome itself. When Edwards hit a three-pointer to kill the game before the final game, the “MVP” shout at the center of the target was both a tribute to the 23-year-old star and an expectation for the future of basketball. The Timberwolves used team basketball to overturn the afterglow of the dynasty, while the Warriors were looking for a path to rebirth in the pain. This is the most moving charm of the NBA - there are always new stories waiting to be written.