Warriors sputter without Steph Curry, drop Game 2 vs. Timberwolves
MINNEAPOLIS – The Warriors ran the same sets they always did during Thursday’s matchup with Minnesota, the second game of the teams’ conference semifinal series.
There were split cuts, shooters running around screens and plenty of motion overall.
The plays looked the same, but without Steph Curry, who is out with a hamstring injury, greasing the wheels with all-time great shotmaking, the Warriors’ offense sputtered. Meanwhile, the defense was unable to withstand Minnesota’s potent shooting in a 117-93 blowout at Target Center.
“Everybody knows its difficult to recreate or get close to what he does, but we’re gonna have to find a way,” Jimmy Butler said.
Curry was sitting next to the coaches in a black and red hoodie due to the injury that will keep him sidelined until at least Game 5.
Even with the franchise’s greatest player sitting in street clothes next to the coaches, the Warriors stayed in the game for two-and-a-half quarters before running out of steam.
With the star sidelined, a mishmash of role players had to play big minutes next to Jimmy Butler, who had 17 points. Jonathan Kuminga scored 18 and showed an ability to use his latent athleticism to create his own shot off the bounce. Julius Randle led the Timberwolves with 23 points, and Anthony Edwards put in 20.
In all, 14 different Warriors played as Kerr experimented with lineups.
“Part of the gameplan was to play a lot of people,” Kerr said. “Part of the reasoning is the fatigue of the run we’ve been on with the travel and the games, but part of it is we have to figure out what we’re gonna be able to do in this series without Steph.”
After going down 56-39 at halftime, the Warriors began the third quarter on a 19-6 run, with Buddy Hield and Kuminga each burying 3-pointers to cut the Minnesota lead to just seven with around six minutes to go.
But after seeing their lead trimmed to 65-58, the Wolves responded with an 11-0 run that put Minnesota back in control. Minnesota led 85-65 at the end of the third quarter and salted the game away from there.
Things could not have started worse for Golden State.
After going 0-for-15 from 3-point land to start Game 1, Minnesota made its first two triples on makes by Jaden McDaniels and Mike Conley as the Wolves jumped out to a 13-0 lead. The Wolves finished the game 16 for 37 from long range.
Butler scoring five points was about all that went well for the Warriors in the first quarter, which saw the Wolves lead 29-15 after the Warriors had more turnovers (five) than assists (four) and only six made field goals.
The second quarter was not much better, even when the Wolves appeared to make a mistake.
When Naz Reid fouled Draymond Green, the Warriors forward flailed his arms in a manner reminiscent of his play against Houston’s Fred VanVleet in the first-round finale.
Just like in that game, lead official Tony Brothers dinged Green with a technical foul, his fifth of the postseason. If he receives seven techs, it mandates an automatic one-game suspension.
Golden State was not the only team that saw its franchise player leave a game with an injury.
Edwards had scored seven points in the first half when he left the game with an apparent left ankle injury at the 5:56 mark of the second quarter.
After remaining in the locker room for the rest of the first half, Edwards returned to a thunderous ovation to start the third quarter.
Edwards came back looking 100% healthy, scoring 13 in the second half. The Wolves withstood Golden State’s rally and pulled away to even up the series.
Game 3 will be played at Chase Center on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.