Lower seeded Minnesota Timberwolves Golden State Warriors vie for spot in West Finals

MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors each knocked off a higher-seeded opponent in the first round of the National Basketball Association play-offs.

Now, the teams will battle for a trip to the Western Conference Finals. Sixth-seeded Minnesota will tip off against seventh-seeded Golden State in Game 1 of their best-of-seven semi-finals series on May 6 (May 7, Singapore time) in Minneapolis.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said both teams enter the series on a similar trajectory.

“It’s obviously a tough matchup. It’s a championship pedigree team. They’re similar to us. They’ve played their best basketball down the stretch and into the play-offs. They’re coming off a really, really tough series... But they showed what they’re made of in that series,” he said.

The Warriors clinched a first-round win over the Houston Rockets in a series that went the full seven games. The team had just one day off between their 103-89 win in Houston on May 4 and this latest series opener.

Golden State are back in the semi-finals after losing in the play-in round a season ago.

The acquisition of Jimmy Butler has had a lot to do with the Warriors’ resurgence. Butler joined a line-up that already featured Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, and the trio have rejuvenated the team over the past three months.

Golden State were 25-26 when Butler made his team debut on Feb 8 against the Chicago Bulls.

The Warriors won 23 of 31 games to conclude the regular season before advancing via the play-in round and then taking down the second-seeded Rockets.

“We’re excited. We’re thrilled,” coach Steve Kerr said.

“When I think back to the trade deadline, where we were as a team, I’m so proud of these guys for what they’ve accomplished to put us in a position, as