Anthony Edwards' meteoric rise in the NBA continues relentlessly. The 23-year-old Minnesota Timberwolves superstar has added another chapter to his burgeoning playoff legacy, leading his team to a 4-1 series victory over the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals. This triumph not only propels the Timberwolves to their second consecutive Western Conference Finals but also reinforces Edwards' growing reputation as the league's premier "legend killer."

The term "legend killer" may have been used in jest by fans and analysts, but it's becoming more apt with each passing series. Edwards is carving out one of the most impressive early playoff resumes in recent memory, routinely stepping up against the game's brightest stars and emerging victorious.

Slaying giants and legends is becoming a playoff tradition for Edwards

Edwards' postseason journey reads like a who's who of NBA royalty. Last year, he spearheaded the Timberwolves' stunning run through the Western Conference, eliminating a Phoenix Suns team led by future Hall of Famers Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. In the following round, they went toe-to-toe with reigning MVP Nikola Jokić and the defending champion Denver Nuggets – and prevailed.

This season has followed a similar narrative. In the first round, Edwards and the Wolves dispatched the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. Edwards outdueled both LeBron James and Luka Doncic on both ends of the floor and delivering clutch baskets in high-pressure moments.

Now, in the semifinals, he's taken down a Warriors team that boasted championship pedigree and playoff-tested veterans in Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green – and would have had Stephen Curry, were it not for injury.

It's no wonder the nickname "legend killer" has started to stick. Edwards is not just winning playoff series; he's ending runs and ushering in a new era of stardom. Few players his age have compiled such an impressive list of postseason victims – and he's doing it as the unquestioned leader of a franchise that hadn’t been to the Conference Finals in 20 years before his arrival.

Golden State’s fortunes took a major hit just minutes into Game 1 when Stephen Curry pulled up lame, clutching his left hamstring. The team initially called it “tightness,” but subsequent scans revealed a strain that would sideline the two-time MVP for the remainder of the series.

Curry’s absence was devastating. In Game 1, the Warriors managed to win despite him being out for the majority of the game, and Golden State was within striking distance. But without him, the Warriors lacked spacing, cohesion, and a consistent scoring threat. Butler, whom the Warriors acquired midseason for a late title push, averaged a decent amount of points in the series but struggled to find rhythm without Curry drawing double teams. Draymond Green’s defensive prowess and playmaking were neutralized by Minnesota’s size and physicality.

Minnesota, meanwhile, smothered Golden State with a vaunted defense led by Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, and Edwards. The Wolves’ game plan was simple yet effective: deny Butler clean looks, collapse on drives, and force role players to beat them. Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield were rather inconsistent, while Jonathan Kuminga, though promising, lacked the polish to carry the scoring load for the entire series. The Warriors ultimately lost four straight games after taking the opener.

Timberwolves' strategic mastery 

Minnesota’s resurgence is as much about front-office vision as it is about Edwards’ emergence. The franchise made a controversial decision last summer, trading long-time star Karl-Anthony Towns – the face of the franchise for nearly a decade – to the New York Knicks in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

Initially panned as an overreaction to last year’s Conference Finals loss, the move has aged like fine wine. Randle brought a rugged interior presence and a scorer's mindset that perfectly complements Rudy Gobert’s defense-first approach. In these playoffs, Randle has arguably been playing the best basketball of his life, often bullying smaller defenders in the post while spacing the floor just enough to allow Edwards room to operate.

DiVincenzo, a tenacious defender and underrated shooter, has been an x-factor despite struggling a bit in the playoffs. He has consistently hit timely threes while guarding opposing guards with a relentless motor. His chemistry with Edwards has flourished, allowing the Wolves to maintain intensity on both ends without sacrificing floor spacing.

Add in the steady leadership of Mike Conley and the rim protection of Gobert and Naz Reid off the bench and the perimeter defense by McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and you’ve got one of the most well-balanced teams left in the playoffs.

With this series win, the Timberwolves have secured their second straight appearance in the Western Conference Finals – a feat that once seemed unimaginable for a franchise long plagued by mediocrity. They fell to Dallas in last year’s WCF, but the lessons from that loss are clearly paying off.

This version of the Wolves is deeper, more experienced, and far more adaptable. They’ve shown they can win gritty, defensive battles or shoot it out when the game opens up. Coach Chris Finch has masterfully balanced rotations and drawn up sets that accentuate Edwards’ strengths while keeping Randle, Gobert, and DiVincenzo involved.

The next step now is breaking through to the NBA Finals – something no Timberwolves team has ever accomplished.

Being the ‘face of the league’

As the NBA’s long-standing icons gradually wind down their careers, the league is searching for its next torchbearer. While players like Jayson Tatum, Luka Dončić, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are all in the mix, few have made as loud a postseason statement as Anthony Edwards.

His playoff numbers — 27.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists per game — don’t just tell the story of a rising superstar, they scream franchise cornerstone and future MVP. More importantly, Edwards has embraced the spotlight, asking for it and owning the pressure of delivering wins against the best in the world.

He’s charismatic, fiercely competitive, and fearless. His ability to elevate his game in the postseason, rise above elite opponents, and close out games has drawn comparisons to legends of the past. And with every “legend” he defeats, Edwards inches closer to becoming one himself.

Anthony Edwards isn’t just adding to his playoff resume — he’s building a legacy. One legendary opponent at a time.

And if the “legend killer” keeps this up, the next generation of NBA stars might be defined by who manages to take him down.