Game 3 Preview: Timberwolves at Warriors

The Timberwolves bounced back from a dismal performance in Game 1 to tie their series with the Warriors. Now Minnesota heads to Golden State for Game 3 with a chance to gain significant ground on an overmatched Steph Curry-less Warriors squad.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden State Warriors – Game 3
Date: May 10th, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM CDT
Location: Chase Center
Television Coverage: ABC
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM/Wolves App/iHeart Radio

After the pitiful performance that was Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals—a nightmarish clunker that looked like it was directed by M. Night Shyamalan and edited by Draymond Green—the Timberwolves had nowhere to go but up. And up they went.

Game 2 wasn’t just a bounce-back. It was a statement. It was a full-throttle, coast-to-coast, no-doubt, wire-to-wire dismantling of a Steph Curry–less Golden State team. The Wolves didn’t just even the series—they threw down a marker that said, “We are not messing around anymore.” Final score: 117–93. Garbage time was in full swing with five minutes to go and the Wolves bench was doing cardio on the court.

After dropping Game 1 in such embarrassing fashion—missing their first 16 three-point attempts, scoring 11 points in the second quarter, and somehow making Draymond Green look like 2016 Draymond again—Minnesota flipped the switch. They shot 43% from deep, hit 16 threes, and turned Buddy Hield back into a pumpkin. Jaden McDaniels nailed the Wolves’ first three of the night to break the curse from Game 1. Mike Conley followed it up. Then NAW, Naz, and Donte, all joined in. Suddenly, the Wolves looked like the team that won 56 games last year, not the one that forgot how to shoot 48 hours earlier.

And let’s not forget—this wasn’t some offensive explosion led by a 45-point Edwards night. In fact, Ant was hobbling. After tweaking his ankle late in the second quarter, he came back out and gutted through it, but clearly wasn’t himself. This wasn’t Ant-Man flying in to save the day. This was a total team effort, a rock-solid defensive performance, and a shining example of what happens when everyone does their job.

Julius Randle turned into the point forward wrecking ball that Wolves fans were promised when he came over from New York. The bench stepped up. The defense was stifling. And suddenly, instead of heading to the Bay down 0–2 with the national media already sharpening their Curry-is-back narratives, Minnesota now walks into Game 3 with momentum, swagger, and maybe even a chance to take full control of the series.

But here’s the thing: You don’t win a series with one bounce-back game. You don’t knock out the four-time champs in a gentleman’s sweep just by remembering how to shoot. You have to bury them.

Game 3 is the swing game. The Warriors are vulnerable, without Steph for at least two more games. This is the Wolves’ chance to twist the knife—and if they’re serious about making a second straight trip to the Western Conference Finals, they have to treat it like one.

Which brings us to the keys to the game…

1: Julius Randle Needs to Be the Rock

Look, Ant is clearly not himself. This has been brewing since LeBron submarined his legs in Game 5 of the Lakers series, and the ankle tweak in Game 2 against the Warriors surely didn’t help the situation. He returned, but the explosiveness just wasn’t there. This isn’t 100% Ant. This is 85% Ant—which is still terrifying, but it’s not enough to solo a playoff game.

That means it’s Julius Time.

Randle has been the Wolves’ most consistent player over the past three games—23 in the Lakers closeout, 18 in Game 1, and a quiet takeover performance in Game 2: 24 points, 11 assists, 7 boards, and an aura of “I got this” that stabilized the offense.

Say what you will about the Karl-Anthony Towns era (and I’m sure we all have a few thoughts), but there’s no question: Julius has brought a different vibe. Less finesse, more force. Less existential drama, more old-school wrecking ball. He’s been a godsend for a team that needed someone to bridge the gap between Ant’s generational ceiling and Gobert’s rim-running floor.

With Ant hobbled, this series is begging for Randle to be the grown man in the room. Bully Jimmy Butler in the post. Exploit Golden State’s size mismatch. Set the tone. If he keeps this up, we’re talking about a legitimate postseason legacy in the making.

2: Don’t Let the Gas Off

We’ve seen this Wolves movie before. Hell, we’ve lived it. Big win? Media praise? National attention? Suddenly they lose to a team missing three starters, and Jim Pete and Grady are asking why Minnesota can’t get out of its own way.

Game 2 was a great bounce-back. But if they walk into the Chase Center thinking they’ve got this thing wrapped up because Steph’s on the shelf and Buddy Hield is Golden State’s most explosive player, they’re toast.

The Warriors are too proud. Too experienced. Too annoying. If you give them any life, they’ll make you pay. Minnesota has to treat Game 3 like a Game 7. Smother them. Strangle the offense. Win the hustle battles. Make it clear—this series is over unless Golden State pulls off a miracle.

This isn’t the time for hero ball. Or lazy rotations. Or missed box outs. This is the moment you bury a wounded dynasty and move one step closer to the franchise’s second Western Conference Finals in 20 years.

3: Jaden McDaniels, Defensive Warden

Let’s not overcomplicate this—Jaden McDaniels is a menace. With Steph sidelined, the Wolves deployed him to suffocate Jimmy Butler, and he did just that. Gone were the Buddy Hield flamethrowers from Game 1. In their place? Hand-in-the-face bricks and contested drives.

McDaniels went 7-for-10 on offense and added 16 points, but it was his defense that tilted the game. He was everywhere. Playing like a guy who spent the flight home from Game 1 watching film like it was the Zapruder tape.

In Game 3, he needs to do it again. Without Steph, Golden State’s offense runs on Jimmy’s rim pressure and Hield’s perimeter threats. Cut those off, and they’re left with Draymond Green trying to cook from 17 feet. Spoiler alert: that’s not going to work.

4: Don’t Fall for the Draymond Trap

You know it’s coming. You know Draymond is going to try something—an elbow, a shove, a stray foot that somehow ends up in Rudy Gobert’s midsection. This is what he does. And he’s already down one T for the Naz Reid shot to the head in Game 2.

The only thing more dangerous than Draymond when he’s locked in, is Draymond when he’s spiraling. He wants a tech. He wants chaos. Because chaos is his oxygen. If he can pull Rudy or Naz or even Julius into a dust-up that gets someone suspended or tossed, the Warriors have a shot.

The Wolves have to be smarter. Cooler. More professional. No techs. No flexing in someone’s face. Just win the game and let Draymond do Draymond things in an empty tunnel somewhere.

5: Make It a Team Effort

Minnesota can’t rely on Game 3 being the Ant Show—not with that ankle. And that’s ok. What Game 2 showed us is that this team has depth. Real, terrifying, matchup-busting depth.

• NAW had 20 points and hit four threes.
• Donte DiVincenzo broke out of his slump and drilled three of his own.
• Naz Reid was serviceable with 11 points and a steady hand.
• The bench closed out the game while the starters lounged on the bench.

That’s how you win playoff series. When your star is hurt, and the shots aren’t falling early, you need guys two through eight to step up. If they bring the same energy in Game 3, Minnesota might not just win—they might roll.

Bottom Line: Strike Now

It’s unfortunate we won’t see peak Steph vs. peak Ant in this series (at least not yet). But this is the postseason. Breaks happen. Matchups shift. Timelines get weird.

The Wolves don’t have to apologize for Steph’s hamstring. They just need to take advantage.

This is their shot to go up 2-1 with a chance to bury Golden State before the MVP comes limping back. If they win Game 3 and apply the same suffocating pressure in Game 4, this thing could be over before Steph even has time to lace up.

Minnesota can’t hesitate now. They can’t think about how far they’ve come or how historic this all feels. They just have to do what Game 2 proved they’re capable of—play hard, play smart, and put this team away.

Let’s see if they can do it.