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Victor Petkov
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Minnesota books second straight West Finals trip after Game 5 win over Warriors
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Timberwolves torch Warriors behind Randle’s Red-Hot game as Steph Curry watched from the sidelines

Julius Randle delivered a near-flawless performance, scoring 29 points on 13-of-18 shooting to power the Minnesota Timberwolves past the Golden State Warriors 121-110 in Game 5 on Wednesday night, sending the Wolves to the Western Conference Finals for the second consecutive season.

Anthony Edwards added a double-double with 22 points and 12 assists, orchestrating Minnesota’s fast-paced offense with poise and precision.

The sixth-seeded Timberwolves now await the winner of the Denver-Oklahoma City series.

Should the Nuggets force a Game 7 by beating the Thunder on Thursday, Minnesota could enjoy up to five days of rest before the next round.

For Golden State, rookie guard Brandin Podziemski stepped up in a big way, recording a playoff career-high 28 points. Jonathan Kuminga also provided a spark off the bench with 26 points. But the absences and inconsistencies were too much to overcome—none more impactful than the continued absence of Stephen Curry, who remained sidelined with a hamstring strain suffered in the second quarter of Game 1. Without him, the Warriors lacked their usual offensive identity and leadership.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield—key figures in Golden State’s Game 1 victory—failed to make a meaningful impact for the remainder of the series. Their diminished contributions became more glaring as the Timberwolves’ balanced scoring attack and defensive discipline wore the Warriors down.

Minnesota’s offensive execution was clinical. Rudy Gobert dominated the interior with 17 points and a commanding presence around the rim. Mike Conley chipped in with 16 points and eight assists, while Donte DiVincenzo, who had been struggling, finally found his rhythm and added 13 points. The Wolves shot an incredible 77% on 2-point attempts (36-of-47) and set franchise playoff records with 36 assists and a blistering 62.8% overall field goal percentage.