5 things to watch in Timberwolves-Warriors Western Conference semifinal

Grab your popcorn.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors are set to collide in the Western Conference semifinals. The series gets underway with Tuesday night's Game 1, scheduled for an 8:30 p.m. CT tipoff at Target Center in Minneapolis.

There are no shortage of storylines heading into this much-anticipated second-round matchup, which can only be described as must-see TV. Here are five things to watch for in the best-of-seven series between the Wolves and Warriors:

Jimmy Butler's return to Target Center

Nov. 24, 2021.

That's the last time Butler took the court at Target Center, and his return to Minneapolis is no doubt the most intriguing story heading into this semifinal series. Since his tumultuous tenure with the Wolves — which lasted all of a season and a half — Butler has seldom subjected himself to the ire of Wolves fans. Fall 2021, when he was with the Miami Heat, was the last time Butler played in Minneapolis as various injuries over the years resulted in missed games against his former team.

In 2017-18, Butler helped the Wolves return to the postseason after a 14-year drought. But frustration with his contract situation led him to force his way out of Minnesota the following season, and he went from beloved to loathed among Wolves fans. He received an icy reception in 2021, and he'll be Public Enemy No. 1 when he takes the court on Tuesday.

Just wait for that Game 1 Target Center crowd.

Rudy Gobert-Draymond Green feud

While Butler will be Public Enemy No. 1, you could give Green the title of Public Enemy No. 1B.

Green, aside from building a generally unfavorable reputation over the years, has a particular distaste for Gobert. Now, the two will go down as the top defensive players of their era. Green won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2017, and he likely would have won more if it weren't for four-time winner Gobert, who took it home in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024.

Whether it's jealousy or just flat-out disrespect, Green has made his feelings about Gobert quite clear over the years. A clear boiling over point was when Green put Gobert in a headlock during a game in November 2023, which resulted in a five-game suspension for Green and a fine for Gobert. In last year's postseason, Green was a guest commentator on TNT's Inside the NBA and consistently criticized Gobert, which prompted the Timberwolves to boycott the TV program.

Will there be another physical altercation? Can Green contain his emotions and avoid flagrant and technical fouls? Can Gobert take advantage of his size and make Green eat his words? Will one be the guy that pushes their team over the top?

We'll have to wait and see what this edition of Green and Gobert brings.

Coaching chess match

The series will be an intriguing chess match between Wolves coach Chris Finch and Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

Both have shown adaptability in the playoffs. Kerr used three different starting lineups in their first-round series against the Rockets — Butler missing Game 3 forced his hand for one — making adjustments and using the players that fit at the right moments. Finch has stuck to the same starting group, but he hasn't been hesitant to close with different lineups.

Then there's the matchups. How will the Wolves defend Steph Curry? Jaden McDaniels got the most minutes against him in the regular season. How will the Warriors look to contain Edwards? How will Kerr game plan for Minnesota's massive size advantage? This series could see more major coaching adjustments than the first-round series against the Lakers.

Kerr is arguably the best coach in the NBA, and Finch has proven his ability to game plan is as good as any coach in the NBA. As the Wolves and Warriors battle on the court, there will be a great chess match between Finch and Kerr off of it.

Anthony Edwards' stardom

Edwards started building quite the playoff resume last season when he and the Timberwolves swept Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns in the first round before taking down Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the second round to reach the Western Conference finals for the first time in 20 years.

While Edwards and the Wolves missed out on the NBA Finals, they're back in the playoffs this season and made a statement with a 4-1 series win over a Lakers team featuring all-time scoring leader LeBron James and Luka Doncic, who sent the Wolves home in last year's Western Conference finals with the Dallas Mavericks. Edwards' stardom only grows.

Though he's said he doesn't want to be the "face of the NBA," Edwards might not be able to keep himself out of that conversation if he takes down another all-time great in Curry and the Golden State Warriors. The Wolves would be in the West finals in back-to-back seasons, with Edwards leading the charge. Against the Lakers, he did everything the right way.

Whether he's scoring 40 or getting off double teams, facilitating and making winning plays, Edwards' young legacy will take another jump with a series win over yet another all-time great. There's no question that Edwards is a star, and if he leads the Wolves past the Warriors, the conversation will be whether he's arrived as the new and next face of the league.

Vets or rising stars?

The NBA is a league built on star power, and it's been in a transition phase between the longtime stars who've dominated the game for decades and the rising next generation of players. This series couldn't be a better contrast between the two.

The Warriors are the vets. Curry is 37 years old and looking to add a fifth NBA title to his resume. Green, 35, has been one of his key sidekicks through that whole run. Butler, 35, has two NBA Finals appearances, but remains in search of his first championship. Even key role players like Buddy Hield and Gary Payton II are each 32. They're not absent youth — Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody are 22 and Quinten Post is 25 — but Curry, Green and Butler are the engine of the Warriors.

On the flip side, the Wolves exemplify the next generation. And similarly, they're not without veterans — the starting lineup features a 37-year-old Mike Conley and a 32-year-old Gobert — but the engine is powered by the young core of Edwards, McDaniels and Naz Reid, who are 23, 24 and 25 years old, respectively, as well as Julius Randle, who's 30 years old. Their two other key role players in guards Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo are 26 and 28 years old, respectively.

It's the veterans versus the next generation. Can the vets turn the clock back one last time, or are the youth here now?

We'll get our first look on Tuesday.