An exciting second-round series is on the horizon, as the Warriors and Timberwolves face off for a spot in the Western Conference Finals.
Two different storylines have developed in this series: Stephen Curry is looking to win his fifth NBA championship, while Anthony Edwards, at just 23, is attempting to win his first championship.
This matchup highlights two of the best players in the postseason this year and will play a large role in the eventual series winner. With this player matchup being so important, it raises the question of whose team will rely on them more to play at their best to pull out a series win.
MORE: Draymond Green calls out Dillon Brooks following Warriors vs. Rockets series
Anthony Edwards vs. Stephen Curry stats
2025 NBA Playoffs (first round)
At a glance, Edwards appears to show a slight edge when it comes to impact on the floor for his respective team.
Other factors do play into these numbers, so it doesn’t always paint the full picture, but the first-round series numbers point the way of Edwards.
| Stat (avg) | Anthony Edwards (5 games) | Stephen Curry (7 games) |
|---|---|---|
| PPG | 26.8 | 24.0 |
| RPG | 8.4 | 5.9 |
| APG | 6.2 | 5.7 |
| SPG | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| BPG | 0.4 | 0.9 |
| FG% | 42.0 | 47.1 |
| 3P% | 33.3 | 39.2 |
| +- | 8.0 | 2.3 |
| OFFRTG | 119.0 | 115.6 |
| DEFRTG | 108.9 | 113.9 |
| NETRTG | 10.1 | 2.7 |
MORE: Why Anthony Edwards said he wants to face Golden State in the playoffs
Clutch stats
Edwards was a better clutch-time player in the first round, for what it counts.
We know that Curry is capable of taking over games, as he did to pull away from the Rockets in the fourth quarter of Game 7, but Edwards has also shined in the big moments, as we saw against the Lakers.
| Stat (total) | Anthony Edwards | Stephen Curry |
|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 10.5 | 6.3 |
| Points | 12 | 0 |
| FG/FGA | 3-5 | 0-3 |
| FTM/FTA | 5-5 | 0-0 |
| REB | 3 | 0 |
| AST | 5 | 3 |
| +- | 20 | 12 |
| Wins | 3 | 3 |
When comparing the statistics of each of the respective players’ teammates in the opening round, Edwards has gotten more help on the scoring and efficiency side from teammates. Minnesota has two players averaging over 17.0 points per game (Julius Randle and Jalen McDaniels) while shooting 48.0 percent from the field or better.
Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid have given steady scoring production as well, and Gobert is cleaning up the glass, ranking fourth in the playoffs with 3.8 offensive rebounds per game.
Jimmy Butler has contributed well when healthy, but otherwise, it has been hard for Curry to find consistent help from teammates. Outside of Curry and Butler, only one of the four players averaging 20-plus minutes has a field goal percentage higher than 40 percent (Buddy Hield).
Considering the Timberwolves were able to take care of business in five games against the Lakers and the Warriors were pushed to a seven-game series, the depth of Golden State might be in question at times. This further emphasizes the need for Steph to elevate his game past where it has been in the first round if Golden State is going to try and beat a competitive and hungry Timberwolves team.
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