The second round of the Western Conference playoffs is about get a jolt of energy.
Golden State versus Minnesota is a matchup that pits arguably the greatest shotmaker of all-time against a new face that has taken over the league.
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Stephen Curry is going after his fifth NBA Championship, while Anthony Edwards is pursuing his first to bring back to the Timberwolves.
The Warriors were pushed to seven games in its series with Houston, but got it done.
Anthony Edwards “will win an NBA Championship before Luka Doncic,” per Kendrick Perkins
Minnesota, on the other hand, knocked out LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Edwards was incredible in his series against the Lakers, scoring 20 or more points in four of five games. He posted a jaw-dropping 43 points in Game 4 with nine rebounds and six assists. It is a tall order to take down Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, and a Warriors team with NBA Finals experience, but “Ant-Man” has the confidence to do it. Kendrick Perkins, a 2008 NBA Champion for the Boston Celtics, stated on ESPN’s First Take that Edwards winning his title is more intriguing than Curry gaining his fifth. Perkins sees Edwards as the next face of the league if he completes this playoff run with a championship.
What is more intriguing: Ant-Man getting his first ring or Steph Curry capturing his fifth? ???? pic.twitter.com/D09b1qM2lR
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 5, 2025
“It is not what you do, but how you do it,” Perkins said.
“Think about this … knocking off LeBron and Luka, now facing Steph. If he gets pass this series he could possibly be looking at SGA [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander], if he gets pass an SGA or a Jokic to make it to the finals to face a Boston Celtics team who I believe is going to be there … if you knock off the defending champs and Jayson Tatum, we could be arguably looking at one of the greatest individual NBA championship runs in history. To get his first ring and bring it back to Minnesota. … I know he does not want to be the face of the league, but let him win his first championship — especially this year — he has no choice but to be the face of the league.”
Edwards has the T’Wolves playing its best basketball at the right time.
Should he pull off this improbable run, he will be crowned as the face of the NBA.
Stephen M. Smith is a writer for Ball Exclusives. You can follow him him X via @CoachingMSmith.
