The Timberwolves Make Unfortunate History Against Warriors

The Minnesota Timberwolves had five days to prepare for the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2025 Playoffs. They looked extremely rusty, as Minnesota set the record for their lowest-scoring first half in franchise history with 31 points.

That is a bad sign for the Timberwolves because they are the favorites for this game, but they could not hit the broadside of the barn during the first half, as the Warriors had a decent 44-point half.

Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

This is not what people expected from the Timberwolves, considering they had the third-best offensive rating during the 2024-25 regular season. A big part of their first-half struggles was Anthony Edwards, who could not buy a shot and only scored one point from the free-throw line.

Another reason for their struggles was their three-point shooting. They took 15 shots and could not make one. This should be an anomaly for one of the NBA's best offenses, but it is a historically bad look on the big stage.

Edwards Struggles From Game 7 Continue

During Game 7 of the Timberwolves' series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Edwards struggled with only 15 points on 26.3% from the field. Those issues persisted against the Warriors in the first half of Game 1, as he could not buy a basket no matter how hard he tried.

Everyone knows Ant can bounce back from this, but it is a bit worrying to see Minnesota's superstar doing this. Thankfully, the Timberwolves have a superb supporting cast, with Julius Randle spearheading the offense during Edwards' struggles.

Randle was the Timberwolves' leading scorer in the first half of Game 1, scoring eight points. That should change in future games as Chris Finch will demand more from his players. 

The Timberwolves Might Be Too Reliant On Three-Pointers

During Game 7 against the Lakers and in the first half of Game 1 against the Warriors, the Timberwolves shot plenty of threes. Shooting is a big part of their successful offense, but they need alternatives whenever the team struggles. 

Edwards driving to the rim is an obvious choice, but others should emulate him. Randle has handled it well with his bully ball style, but players like Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker could be more aggressive on offense.

Timberwolves fans hope this is a small blip for the team as they must meet expectations and become a contender in the Western Conference again.