[Warriors Playoffs Summary] "Back to the top" to "core absent", injuries are part of competitive sports

In the 2025 NBA playoffs, the Golden State Warriors' journey was like a roller coaster. During the regular season, they once started the playoffs outside the playoffs area and finally started the playoffs as seventh in the West. They eliminated the young Rockets in the first round, demonstrating the resilience and experience advantages of the championship. However, when the series reached the Western Conference semi-finals, an unexpected injury completely changed the fate of Golden State - Curry was absent due to a hamstring strain, and the Warriors were eliminated from 1-0 to 1-4 by the Timberwolves for four consecutive games, revealing the fatal shortcomings of insufficient lineup depth and core dependence. The first round showdown between the Warriors and the Rockets is generally regarded as a collision between "experienced" and "youth reckless". Although the Rockets performed amazingly in the end of the regular season, the Warriors steadily controlled the situation with their triple advantages.

First, the deterrent power of the "free throw machine" Butler. Butler averaged 7.2 free throws and 84.1% shooting percentage in the series. He frequently hit the inside in key rounds, forcing Rockets players into a foul trap. G3, Butler's 12 free throws in a single game directly led to Shin Kyung getting into trouble with two fouls early, becoming the turning point for the Warriors to win the game. G5 got 14 free throws, and Dillon had 3 fouls in the first half...

Second, Curry's projection and Green's "brain-level" command. The Warriors' offensive system operates efficiently under the connection between Curry and Green. In the series, Curry averaged 24.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game, with a three-point shooting percentage of 39.2%, and averaged 4.1 three-pointers per game. Especially in the tiebreak battle, Curry scored 14 points in the last quarter and locked the victory with a very long three-pointer, showing his true nature as a "historical shooter". He took the Rockets' outside defense in one fell swoop, and Amen was shot to doubt his life. Green's command on the defensive end and his offensive end activated the offensive system of the entire team.

Third, experience and psychological advantages. In the past decade of playoff history, the Warriors have maintained a 100% winning rate against the Rockets - here is the result of the series (how many people's youth ended in the series that year...), not a single game win or loss. This psychological advantage is transformed into confidence in action at critical moments. Anyway, it is not afraid of you, the Rockets. In G4, the Rockets were once led by 12 points, but the Warriors relied on Green's defensive strategy and the pick-and-roll of Curry and Butler, and scored a 32-23 counterattack wave in the third quarter, and finally completed a 109-106 reversal.

The Rockets are still too young and will inevitably pay the "price of youth".

One, the defensive rotation is chaotic. Facing the Warriors' high pick-and-roll, Rockets players frequently lost their positions, Shin Kyung was seized from shooting opportunities between sinking and retreating and restoring defense. Curry and Green basically made no mistakes in cooperation with him. Curry could basically catch the ball smoothly, Amen and Van Jordan had little effect in chasing and defense, and he did not pay attention to the protection of the passing route during the attack.

Secondly, the loss of the leader players. Jaylen Green averaged 13.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. In the last two key games, his shooting percentage was limited to 31.6%, and his 10 points per game... The lack of experience led to his at a loss in offense and lost his attacks, and he averaged 1.4 turnovers per game. The three-point shooting percentage of the entire series was like a watch that was about to run out of battery, which was very unstable. G1 made 0 of 4 three-pointers and G2 made 8 of 18 three-pointers, and rarely played later.

The Rockets' growth road is still very long. The Warriors have set a good example for them. The second-place score in the regular season can only be placed in the regular season. Everything starts from scratch in the playoffs. I'm anxious and can't eat hot tofu. Good steel has to be polished well. What I'm talking about is these young people, especially Jaylen Green... If you are replaced by Antetokounmpo, well... do it well!

After defeating the Rockets, the Warriors faced "Western Asia" last season's Timberwolves in the second round. The

Warriors' collapse began with an accident in G1 in the Western Conference semi-finals - Curry left the court due to a hamstring strain in the second quarter and has not returned since. This injury directly led to a complete collapse of the team's offensive and defensive system: After Curry was absent, the Warriors' three-point shooting percentage fell from 36.4% in the regular season to 31.4% (G2-G5). The Timberwolves narrowed their defense line in a targeted manner and allowed other players to shoot in mid-range shots, resulting in the Warriors' average score per game dropping to 102.5 points (G2-G5) compared to the regular season 113.8. In G2, the Warriors made only 9 of 32 three-pointers in the game, while the Timberwolves battered Golden State with a 24-point advantage with Randle's 24-point assists and Edwards' 20-point and 5 assists.

Without Curry's restraint, the Timberwolves' Gobert has a huge defensive advantage in the inside. In the series, Gobert averaged 9.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, with a shooting percentage of up to 64.3%, with a plus-minus value per game and a defensive efficiency of 105 points per 100 rounds. The Warriors' inside "Domestic Egg" and Santos' defensive efficiency was only 115. G5, and the Timberwolves scored 18 points through the second offense. The Warriors' defensive rebounds were 22-33, and the center of gravity was all on the frontcourt rebounds, making great achievements, 18-6. Unfortunately, there was no effective second-scoring opportunity, and the inside scored 50-72 and fell behind by 22 points.

As the second in command of the team, Butler was forced to take more responsibility after Curry was absent, but his performance was far from the team's expectations: in the 4 games after Curry was injured, his shooting percentage dropped from 50.4% of the regular season to 45.8%, and only made 4 of 12 shots from the three-point line in four games. G4, Butler's presence on the court was relatively low, with a plus-minus value of -30...G5, and only hit 4 goals in 11 shots, with a plus-minus value of -17.

Timberwolves adopted "double-team + delay" against Butler, which led to a decrease in Butler's breakthrough efficiency. In G4, Butler had many difficulties in hitting the paint area and was forced to rely on mid-range and free throws to score, while Timberwolves' assisted defense made it difficult for him to connect with other role players.

The Timberwolves took away victory is no accident. It can limit Butler and the outbreak of Hilde. On the other hand, it can also show that the Timberwolves' lineup depth and tactical execution are far superior to the Warriors..

Randle averaged 29 points and 8.2 rebounds in the series, especially his tandem, which was an unprecedented explosion in his previous career - averaging 7.4 assists per game! The shooting percentage is 53.3%, especially in G5, with 13 of 18 shots, 29 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists to secure the victory. Edwards transformed into an "all-round warrior". G5 made 5 of 9 three-pointers, and performed many suffocating performances of the Warriors hitting and hitting three points, with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 12 assists, setting a new playoff assist record. He also hit the 1,000th point in his playoff career in the third quarter, becoming the sixth player in history to achieve this before the age of 24 after Kobe, Tony Parker, LeBron, Durant and Tatum.

Gobert's defensive deterrence force the Warriors to frequently take action from the outside, and his pick-and-roll cooperation with Conley kept the Timberwolves' offensive rhythm in hand.

The Timberwolves only rotated 8 players in G5, but 6 players scored in double digits. Players such as Divinchenzo and McDaniels repeatedly hit three-pointers at critical moments. In contrast, the Warriors, Cole was forced to use 11-man rotation, but due to the uneven player abilities, the defensive loopholes frequently appeared, and the system was like a funnel.

Tell me about the data. In the life-and-death battle between G5, the Warriors were once 21 points behind. The camera swept through Curry on the sidelines. The team's season review was played on the big screen. This scene became a "tear gas" hotly discussed across the United States. Although Kumingga scored 26 points and 3 rebounds to try to make a little turnaround, the situation was hopeless.

The Warriors' main lineup has experience, age is a problem, and experience also means aging, so success and failure of Xiao He. Their dilemma exposes the dual problems of lineup aging and lack of talent, such as the "three-core aging" of Curry, Green and Butler. Curry is 37 years old and Green is 35 years old. Their total annual salary is over 80 million US dollars, and their athletic ability and defensive efficiency have declined significantly. Butler is 35 years old and his annual salary is 54.12 million US dollars next season. Without Curry's restraint, he cannot score 40 points under the encirclement of the Timberwolves.

The first priority in summer is naturally targeted reinforcement, looking for reliable inside and auxiliary shooters. Rooney has declined severely this season, and he can grab rebounds, but the defense and offense are a mess - he is no longer the first choice for the Warriors inside. Green can "educate" the young Rockets inside in the first round, but in the second round of the series, his toughness has no effect on Randle. You can "cut Gobert", but when Reed and Randle partnered with the inside, Rooney became a scope, which eventually caused their inside to be completely abused. Therefore, it is still necessary to make up an inside with enough size. If Cole doesn't use a tall inside, just pretend I didn't say it.

Should Podjemsky and young players such as Moody and Kumingga let go or stay? It also needs to be considered.

The Warriors' 2025 season is not only a story about the veteran's perseverance, but also a wake-up call to the future. Curry's defeat after being absent exposed the team's excessive dependence on the core and insufficient lineup depth. If you want to return to the top, the Warriors must complete the transformation from the current "superstar-driven" to the "system-driven" of the championship season, but time may no longer be on the side of the Warriors.