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Par Joël Pütz | Journaliste sportif
Dominated in five games by Minnesota, Golden State now sees its tormentor advance to the conference finals. Draymond Green also indulged in a prediction about the rest of the competition, concerning Rudy Gobert and his teammates.
The Timberwolves’ 2024-25 season has all the makings of a Hollywood script. Last year’s conference finalists suffered a devastating blow before the season even kicked off, losing Karl-Anthony Towns, who was traded to the Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVicenzo. The integration of these two players, especially the former, has long been complicated, with the franchise getting off to a mediocre start.
But as the campaign progressed, Chris Finch’s men finally found their stride and arrived in Olympic form when the playoffs began. As a result, they blew by the Lakers and then the Warriors, winning each series in just five games, and thus returned to the conference finals. Who would have bet on that just a few months ago?
Draymond Green very optimistic for the Timberwolves
Regarding Golden State, the Dubs could only concede defeat as they were quickly deprived of Stephen Curry, injured in Game 1. A breach that Minnesota immediately rushed into thanks in particular to a Julius Randle on fire against the Californian squad. Draymond Green showered him with compliments after Game 5 and even saw his executioners end up winning the championship:
They got a chance, they got a real shot. Any time you got a number 2 that can just go get it, you give yourself a chance to make it happen and get a ring. The way Julius has been playing… since he came back from the injury by the way, it didn’t just start now. He’s been lights out. I have no doubt that he will continue to play that way. He’s agressive as hell, he got that mindset. Always had that mindset.
It’s clicking for him. So I think they got a real shot at it. When you got two players like that, and they have all the pieces right ? You got Naz coming off the bench, Jaden McDaniels who’s a hell of a young player, Rudy, four-times Defensive Player of the Year, Mike Conley and his experience, Donte flying around and defending, Alexander… They got pieces. It’s not just one or two guys, they got a real team. I think they got a real shot at it.
It’s not often the 2017 DPOY’s praises a team that includes Rudy Gobert, since the two men can’t stand each other. That’s how much respect the Wolves command, especially Randle, who finished the series averaging over 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. Whether their next opponent is the Thunder or the Nuggets, Minnesota seems to have plenty of answers.
