In Minneapolis, Julius Randle stood out in the Timberwolves’ 117-93 win, scoring 24 points and dishing out 11 assists despite what can only be described as an inconsistent game overall. They capitalized on the absence of Stephen Curry from the Golden State Warriors, who is expected to miss at least a week due to left hamstring issues.
Anthony Edwards contributed 20 points, shaking off recent concerns about an injury. The Timberwolves more than tripled their three-point performance, hitting 16 out of 37, a significant improvement compared to their previous loss. Meanwhile, Curry’s absence was keenly felt as the Warriors struggled to find their rhythm.
Jonathan Kuminga and Trace Jackson-Davis had a solid day too, scoring 18 and 15 points, respectively, shooting a remarkable 14 out of 17 combined from the floor. It actually took almost five minutes for the Warriors to score until Jimmy Butler’s three-pointer halted a surprising 13-0 run by the Wolves right from the start.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr took an all-hands-on-deck approach, rotating through 14 players in the first 14 minutes, which is quite unusual. Kuminga—selected seventh in the 2021 draft—was a notable bright spot off the bench, especially since he had seen limited action earlier in the season.
Though the Warriors were already struggling offensively even before Curry’s injury, things felt dicey. It was more of a challenge with the Timberwolves showcasing their athleticism, opting not to lean heavily on strategic defensive plays.
Without Curry to sidetrack them, the Timberwolves focused on containing shooters Buddy Hield and Brandin Posiemski, while making sure to also keep an eye on Butler’s savvy plays.
Interestingly, according to Sportradar, the Warriors recorded their lowest first-quarter playoff score since, well, Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals, posting just 15 points.
Draymond Green found himself in hot water once again, accumulating his fifth technical foul of the postseason, which will lead to an automatic one-game suspension after a foul against Reid.
His frustration flared during a timeout, seemingly ready to explode at the officials, particularly an official named Tony Brothers. Meanwhile, there were signs that Curry was concerned for his teammate’s fate.
