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Perkins claims T-wolves ‘more serious' than Warriors as threat in West

Perkins claims T-wolves ‘more serious' than Warriors as threat in West originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The red-hot Warriors (37-28) aren’t the only ones surging in the Western Conference at the right time.

The Minnesota Timberwolves (38-29) have won six games in a row and are neck-and-neck with Golden State for the Western Conference’s No. 6 playoff seed. While both teams are undoubtedly playing their best basketball of the season, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins is convinced by only one of them.

“Oh, right now. Right now we have to start taking them serious,” Perkins said Wednesday night on “Sports Center” of the Timberwolves after Minnesota’s 115-95 win over the Denver Nuggets. “They’re more serious than the Golden State Warriors to me when it comes to being a threat in the Western Conference. And now what we’re watching is a Minnesota Timberwolves team that has found their identity again, and that’s getting it done defensively.

“We have them lock up the Denver Nuggets tonight, holding them to 40-percent shooting, 20 percent from 3-point range. But again, it comes down to Anthony Edwards leading the charge. We know he’s going to put up points and put up buckets, but when you watch Anthony Edwards engaged on the defensive side of things, picking up 94 feet, the rest will follow their best player.”

Like the Timberwolves, the Warriors have been on a hot stretch of their own.

Since their big trade deadline acquisition of six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler, Golden State is 12-2 and winners of its last five contests and 10 of its last 11.

With Butler in the mix, Curry is averaging 29.9 points on 49.6-percent shooting from the field and 42.4 percent from 3-point range, with 4.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 32.9 minutes in 14 games.

For the Timberwolves, Edwards is averaging 25.8 points on 51.3-percent shooting from the field and 41.3 percent from long range, with 5.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.0 steals in 34.7 minutes in his last five games.

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Thunder overcome Celtics 'test' to reach play-offs

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (right) joined Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019 [Getty Images]

Oklahoma City Thunder sealed a spot in the NBA play-offs with 16 games of the season remaining following an impressive 118-112 win over reigning champions the Boston Celtics.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander strengthened his case for the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award by putting up 34 points, five rebounds and seven assists in 39 minutes.

The victory means the Thunder, who are 12 games clear at the top of the standings in the Western Conference, have joined the Cleveland Cavaliers from the Eastern Conference in the play-offs.

And beating 18-time champions Boston was an important "test" to overcome for the Thunder, who are looking to win the NBA title for the first time.

"It's huge," Gilgeous-Alexander said after the Thunder improved to 54 wins and just 12 defeats.

"Because [the Celtics have] have done what we're trying to do, the games against them are always going to be heightened. They're always going to be a little bit more exciting.

"There's no better test in the NBA."

The Celtics, who have now won 49 and lost 17 games, are second behind the Cavaliers (won 55 lost 10) and remain on course for a play-off spot.

Jayson Tatum, who scored 33 points in 41 minutes, says his side need to improve their form if they are to win back-to-back championships.

"Everybody has to play a little bit better," said Tatum.

"Better at the margins, the little things. You're playing against contending teams that are not really going to beat themselves.

"And the little things, not fouling jump shooters at the end of the clock, live ball turnovers, things like that, [we] just got to be a little bit better on."