The second-round NBA playoff series featuring the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves is set to commence.
Entering the series, the 7th-seeded Warriors secured their spot by winning a decisive Game 7 against the Houston Rockets on Sunday. The 6th-seeded Timberwolves advanced by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games, concluding their first-round series on Wednesday.
This matchup is notable as it marks only the third instance since 1984 that the 6th and 7th seeds from the same conference have met in a playoff series. Previous occurrences include the 2023 series between the Warriors and Lakers and the 1987 series between the Rockets and Seattle SuperSonics.
Historically, this is the first postseason meeting between Golden State and Minnesota. During the regular season, Golden State held the advantage, winning three out of four games. However, it`s worth noting that all these regular-season contests occurred before the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat in February.
For Jimmy Butler, facing the Timberwolves brings a sense of familiarity. He previously played 69 games for Minnesota, earning an All-Star selection in the 2017-18 season. Butler`s time with the team ended in November 2018 when he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, a move that followed a trade request and a widely reported heated practice.
