SAN FRANCISCO — The Minnesota Timberwolves know they’re a greater workforce than this Steph Curry-less model of the Golden State Warriors.
They know that whether or not Jimmy Butler has a fantastic recreation or a nasty one, they need to nonetheless beat the Warriors. They know that regardless of how good Draymond Inexperienced has been as a defender up to now, regardless of what number of Defensive Participant of the Yr awards he thinks he ought to have gained throughout his profession, he hasn’t proven that he has any reply for Julius Randle on this collection. They know that when Anthony Edwards finds his groove, there may be nothing even the legitimately stingy Warriors protection can do to cease him.
That information, that assurance that they’re deeper, extra proficient and harder than these Curry-less Warriors, could be the solely factor standing of their means of a second straight look within the Western Convention finals.
The Wolves are one victory away after a 117-110 street win Monday evening. They misplaced three of the 4 quarters within the recreation, have been out-hustled and out-smarted for the whole lot of the primary half, and it didn’t actually matter. A 39-17 destruction within the third quarter was all they actually wanted to catapult them to a 3-1 lead within the collection.
To shut out Golden State, the Timberwolves are going to must battle Butler, Inexperienced, Steve Kerr and their very own hubris at Goal Middle in Sport 5 on Wednesday evening. It was sufficient of a difficulty in Sport 4 that coach Chris Finch felt compelled to level it out at halftime, along with his workforce trailing by two.
After watching his workforce get out-rebounded 25-15 by the smaller Warriors within the first half and give up 60 factors to a workforce that has seemed neutered offensively since Curry’s hamstring damage within the second quarter of Sport 1, Finch had the sinking feeling that complacency was setting in. The Wolves have been sluggish to maneuver their toes on protection, struggled as soon as once more on offense when the Warriors went zone and largely seemed like a workforce that wasn’t in the slightest degree fearful about its opponent.
“I assumed we have been simply form of doing 85 % of the job on the market within the first half,” Finch stated.
The Wolves have been outscored 10-2 in second-chance factors and 26-16 on factors within the paint within the first half. Edwards missed 4 of his first 5 pictures and was a pedestrian 5 of 12 for 14 factors within the first two quarters. Solely Randle’s 19 factors and three 3s within the first two quarters saved the Timberwolves afloat till Edwards joined the celebration.
The workforce gathered at halftime for an prolonged dialogue. Finch instructed them they have been taking part in like they’d already gained the collection. For this workforce that’s nonetheless studying methods to deal with success, seeing the best shooter within the historical past of the game in road garments whereas Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield and Gary Payton II laid brick after brick might have dulled the sting that helped them carve up LeBron and Luka within the first spherical.
The sport turned proper earlier than halftime when Edwards splashed a buzzer-beating 3 over Inexperienced and Payton to chop the deficit to 62-60.
AT. THE. BUZZER. 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Edbhy22z64
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) Might 13, 2025
He untucked his jersey as he headed to the locker room with a menacing scowl on his face and gave the workforce a bit of his thoughts. Edwards and Rudy Gobert have been among the many most vocal gamers within the locker room at halftime, with Edwards telling his teammates that no workforce has ever gained a best-of-seven collection 2-1.
“I instructed them now we have to get two extra wins and proper now we taking part in like we already bought 4 wins,” Edwards stated. “We taking part in like they going to put down, and realizing this workforce, realizing their head coach, they’re by no means going to put down. We needed to determine it out, as a result of if we’d have saved taking part in like that, we’d have misplaced tonight.”
The malaise lifted within the third quarter, when Edwards exploded for 16 of his 30 factors. He went 6 of 8 from the sphere and three of 5 from 3-point vary, and Minnesota bought seven factors and three assists from Randle to take a 20-point lead.
The Warriors have been throwing all types of various defensive appears at Edwards and the Wolves within the collection, and the technique has contributed to some fluctuating performances. He scored 36 within the win in Sport 3 however had simply 20 on 13 pictures within the Wolves’ Sport 2 win.
Edwards threw the kitchen sink on the Warriors. His 3s have been deep and carried a excessive diploma of issue. His rim assaults have been overpowering.
Every strike introduced a groan from the Chase Middle followers, who started the evening a lot louder than they have been in Sport 3 earlier than finally yielding to Edwards’ star energy.
“On the street, you possibly can hear the ache from the group when he’s making pictures like that,” stated Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who broke out of a taking pictures droop with an ideal 5-of-5 evening. “He will get on a heater and he begins to do his factor and be the showman that he’s.”
Edwards smiled a large smile when requested if he may hear the response from the group with every haymaker he landed to the Warriors’ jaw.
“Satisfaction,” he stated. “Simply the perfect satisfaction ever.”
Even the famous Wolves hater Inexperienced may solely tip his cap, calling Edwards “one among one.”
“Each time we’re on a run, we’re letting Ant break the run up,” Inexperienced stated. “And anyone can break the run up, however it will possibly’t be their finest participant. Our protection must be keyed at that time throughout a run that it will possibly’t be their finest participant simply attending to a spot and elevating up.”
Except for a shocking Sport 1 victory at Goal Middle that was as a lot a results of horrendous taking pictures by the Timberwolves because it was about Golden State’s pedigree, the Warriors haven’t proven the flexibility to maintain up. Butler scored 33 factors and Jonathan Kuminga had 30 off the bench in Sport 3 on Saturday, however the Wolves gained anyway. Playoff Jimmy was whisper quiet in Sport 4, battling an sickness and scoring simply 14 factors on 9 pictures after promising to be extra aggressive on this recreation. The Warriors have been outscored by 30 factors in Butler’s 34 minutes.
Inexperienced led a tenacious Warriors protection and hit a bunch of 3s in Sport 1, however it’s been principally downhill since then. He scored 14 factors on 6-of-14 taking pictures, going 0 of 4 from deep after making his first two 3s of the evening. The Warriors have been 8 of 27 from 3, a conversion price that will assuredly be significantly better with Curry on the market letting it fly.
Kuminga scored 16 of his 23 factors within the first half, a a lot much less impactful exhibiting than his large evening in Sport 3. He didn’t seize a single rebound in 29:31, turned it over twice and was a minus-13.
And Podziemski (3 of 14 and 0 of 4 from 3), Hield (13 factors on 4-of-11 taking pictures with 4 turnovers) and Payton (1 of 5) have been no match for Edwards’ supporting forged of Jaden McDaniels (10 factors, 13 rebounds), Alexander-Walker (13 factors) and co-star Randle (31 factors, 5 rebounds, 4-of-8 from 3).
However simply because the blowout appeared to be underway in Sport 4, the Wolves exhaled. Not seeing the Warriors as a risk to make a comeback alongside the traces of what the Bucks did to them in Milwaukee final month, the Wolves figured the sport was over. They dedicated 13 of their 21 turnovers within the fourth, missed all three of their 3s and shot 31 %.
The Warriors whittled a 21-point deficit right down to seven within the closing minutes with a unit of bench guys who’ve been unplayable for a lot of the collection.
“It felt like we began taking part in right down to the competitors,” McDaniels stated. “I imply, you possibly can’t do this. They nearly got here again. If there was extra time, they in all probability may have put their starters again in and made a run. So simply ending the sport out like we begin.”
That is unfamiliar territory for the Timberwolves franchise. For a lot of the 35-plus years of existence, the one commonplace they’ve had is not any commonplace in any respect. To see the NBA Draft Lottery being held on Monday with out Wolves followers reaching for any good luck allure they might discover in hopes of touchdown a excessive choose that will deliver a franchise savior was a singular expertise. The Wolves have their savior already in Edwards, a 23-year-old who already has extra playoff wins in his profession (19) than the franchise had in its total existence (18) earlier than he arrived in 2020.
“Ant’s the brightest star within the room, and never simply from what he does on the basketball courtroom,” Randle stated. “It’s his persona and the way he brings everyone collectively. You understand how one can talk and simply gentle up a room? He has that ‘it’ issue.”
However the Wolves are nonetheless getting used to the sustained excellence and focus {that a} deep playoff run calls for. The Warriors are a proud, hard-playing group, however with Curry out they lack the firepower to stick with the Wolves. They’ve tried to take this collection into the mud, utilizing their protection to pressure low-scoring affairs. Up to now, it has solely actually labored in Sport 1, a 99-88 Warriors win.
“You hand over 117 factors with out Steph, you’re in all probability shedding,” Inexperienced stated. “As a result of the chance that we’re going to attain 117 with out him isn’t that prime.”
Curry isn’t anticipated to play in Sport 5, however a four-day break earlier than a Sport 6 could be performed in San Francisco has everybody’s consideration. A win on Wednesday would assist the Wolves keep away from having to fly again to the West Coast, get rid of the priority of seeing Curry on the ground once more and provides them an additional day or two to relaxation up whereas the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and Denver Nuggets duke it out within the different West semifinal.
Alexander-Walker stated the Wolves must “perceive the second.”
“Need to be current and perceive that these are conditions which can be pivotal,” Alexander-Walker stated. “You will have an opportunity to shut out on your house courtroom versus having to go elsewhere and attempt to win after which do it once more and are available again on the street and journey.”
The fourth win would be the hardest to get, he stated. They know the way shut they’re to getting again to the convention finals. They know that the door is huge open for them. Now they only must examine their egos, clear their minds and stroll via it.
(Photograph of Anthony Edwards: Ezra Shaw / Getty Pictures)
