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The Golden State Warriors were officially eliminated from the 2025 NBA Playoffs following a 121-110 Game 5 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, bringing an end to their postseason campaign. However, one of the few bright spots for the team came in the form of second-year guard Brandin Podziemski, who delivered a breakout performance when the Warriors needed it most.
Podziemski led Golden State in scoring with 28 points, adding six rebounds, four assists, and two steals while shooting 11-for-19 from the field and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. The performance was his best of the playoffs and a sharp contrast to his earlier struggles during the series.
Head coach Steve Kerr addressed Podziemski’s showing postgame and offered insight into the message he shared with the 22-year-old following the Warriors’ exit. In a report published by The Athletic's Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II, Kerr highlighted the growth he expects from Podziemski moving forward.
“There were times in this series where he was hesitant to shoot,” Kerr said. “I thought he could have gotten 10 or 11 3s off tonight, and we needed those. I told him that after the game. I said, ‘When we get back here next year, you are not gonna turn down a single shot.’”
Brandin Podziemski’s growth highlights Warriors’ future as Kerr reflects on playoff challenges
The Warriors drafted Podziemski with the 19th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He completed his second NBA season averaging 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 44.5% from the field and 37.2% from three across 64 games during the 2024-25 regular season.
During the playoffs, his numbers dipped as he averaged 11.3 points, five rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting just 36.4% from the field and 32.8% from three in 12 contests entering Game 5.
Kerr, who won five championships as a player and four as a coach, emphasized the psychological challenge of postseason basketball for younger players.
“It’s part of the playoffs,” Kerr said. “I lived it as a player. It is a mind game… It’s really easy to lose your confidence. Teams throw different schemes at you. You have a bad game and everyone is talking about your shooting percentage. It feels like you’re on an island. I’ve been there. Nobody cares in January if you have two games where you’re 4 for 20. But in the playoffs, everybody’s writing about it, everybody’s talking about it. You feel exposed. That’s a big part of playoff experience, understanding you have to keep firing and stay aggressive.”
Golden State enters the offseason with uncertainty surrounding its veteran core and long-term direction. But Podziemski’s Game 5 performance offered a glimpse of optimism, signaling his potential to play a larger role moving forward.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the second consecutive year and await the winner of the Denver Nuggets–Oklahoma City Thunder series, with the Thunder currently holding a 3-2 lead heading into Game 6.
