Timberwolves 117, Warriors 110: Randle and Edwards Ascend to a 3-1 Lead

Julius Randle buoyed the Timberwolves’ offense early, while Anthony Edwards slammed the door shut on the Warriors with a dominant third quarter.

The Minnesota Timberwolves stormed the court in San Francisco in a pivotal showdown against the shorthanded Golden State Warriors with an opportunity to put a 3-1 stranglehold over the waning dynasty.

The Warriors drew first blood in a bid to secure a game six and a potential Stephen Curry return. The Warriors have continually fought Minnesota on the boards all series, and their effort and tenacity frequently have rewarded the Golden State with second-chance opportunities. The trend continued to start game 4, as the Warriors grinded their way to hold serve with the Timberwolves.

Julius Randle buoyed the Wolves’ offense early, imposing his physicality from the post. Just as the Timberwolves opened up some separation, Jonathan Kuminga put the Warriors’ offense on his back, surgically slicing through Minnesota’s defense, putting immense pressure on the rim while showcasing a knack for finding open shooters.

Naz Reid couldn’t let Kuminga have all the fun, as he stifled the Warriors defensively and sparked the Minnesota offense to an 11-0 run at the beginning of the second quarter. Yet again, game four resembled a tennis match with the Kuminga and Butler pairing returning fire to keep the Warriors hanging around.

Again, the Timberwolves opened up some separation. Sensing the game heading towards an untenable path, Warriors coach Steve Kerr flipped his defense to a 2-3 zone to grind Minnesota’s offense to a halt and close the first half 58-60, Golden State.

Anthony Edwards came out firing following halftime, propelling the Timberwolves while the half court defense began to wear down the Warriors. The 23-year-old superstar smelled blood in the water, recognizing the importance of sending the Timberwolves back to the Target Center up 3-1.

The Timberwolves were dominant in the 3rd quarter. The ball flung around while the bench duo of Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo found their rhythm as the Timberwolves’ half-court defense shut the Warriors’ water off.

When the game felt out of reach, the Warriors came out with one final push to start the fourth. Anthony Edwards suddenly found himself in foul trouble, picking up his fifth in a careless game of bumper cars with Brandon Podziemski. With ten minutes remaining, the Timberwolves would have to hold serve against everything Golden State has with Edwards on the bench.

The rest of the Timberwolves were up for the challenge, matching the Warriors shot for shot, culminating in a duo of nasty blocks by Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert to suck the wind out of the Warriors’ sails. Golden State emptied their bench with four minutes remaining, and while the backups rallied for a valiant effort, it was too little too late. The Minnesota Timberwolves have taken a 3-1 series lead over the Golden State Warriors.

Timberwolves 117, Warriors 110.

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Box Score:

https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-gsw-0042400234/box-score?watch

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Key Takeaways

Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images

Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards dominate

The Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards duo has become a symphony of offensive dominance in these playoffs. They resemble a smash mouth football team, as Julius Randle establishes the run game to set up Anthony Edwards for the home run pass to break open the game. The Warriors did not have an answer for the All-Star pairing, who tallied a combined 61 points on 22-42 shooting from the field.

It was an inspiring performance from Randle early, who held the offense together for Minnesota while the supporting cast struggled to entrench themselves in the game. Anthony Edwards took it home for Minnesota, incinerating the Warriors in the second half.

Jaden McDaniels is building a reputation.

Jaden McDaniels has been utterly spectacular this postseason as a shutdown defender, but don’t listen to me, let the numbers do the talking.

Following a slog of a first half that turned into a seesaw affair, Jaden McDaniels turned on the jets on the defensive end to fuel a dominant second half defensive clinic. When it wasn’t guarding on the perimeter, McDaniels ended possessions by rebounding the basketball, vacuuming up 13 rebounds on the night.

Jaden McDaniels is cementing his reputation as one of the premier defensive players in the league this postseason, and his efforts have propelled Minnesota to within a game of the Western Conference Finals.

Wolves’ half-court defense suffocates the Warriors

The Golden State Warriors threw everything they had at Minnesota in the first half. Their tenacity on the glass continually punished Minnesota, which won the first-half rebounding battle 25-15. It was an untenable prospect for the Timberwolves, who found their game in the second half, holding the Warriors to 17 third-quarter points.

Jimmy Butler struggled to find a consistent rhythm when Rudy Gobert was on the court. While Jonathan Kuminga has become an unlikely sidekick, the Timberwolves’ defense’s lack of shot creation off the dribble outside of Butler proved problematic when the team set up in the half-court. Rudy Gobert achieved the last laugh on Draymond Green, who got a first-hand look at why a second Defensive Player of the Year eluded him.

Final Thoughts

I get that the Warriors do not have Stephen Curry to command the offense. But the Timberwolves have found a star duo that can play off each other and elevate the team even when the supporting cast struggles to contribute. It’s been a tough series for Minnesota’s “others”, and the prospect of it all coming together as the playoffs progress is a thought that should bring excitement to Minnesota basketball fans across the world.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have a chance to return to the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back years (!!!), and they can do it on their home court in front of a fanbase that has come to understand the concept of “through thick and thin”.

Minnesota needs to continue to play their game. Golden State does not have enough offense to hang with the Timberwolves, and their defense will wear down the short-handed Warriors to give the Timberwolves second half opportunities to pounce on. Stay focused and close this one out on the Target Center hardwood.

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Up Next

On Wednesday, the Wolves and Warriors are headed to Minnesota for a showdown at the Target Center. Tip-off will be at 8:30 CT on TNT.

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Game Highlights