What This Timberwolves Win Means for the Warriors' Playoff Hopes
In an exciting basketball night, the Minnesota Timberwolves pulled off a win against the Golden State Warriors by a tight margin of 102-97. The game took place in San Francisco, and it was a head-to-head battle without the Warriors’ star, Stephen Curry (his absence was noticeable on both sides and changed how each team played).
Key players and turning moments
Minnesota’s win was mostly powered by an amazing outing from Anthony Edwards, who put up 36 points with non-stop, aggressive moves that kept his team’s energy high. Another standout was Julius Randle, who recorded a triple-double with 24 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds (showing he can do it all on offense and defense).
For Golden State, figures like Jimmy Butler and Jonathan Kuminga stepped up. Kuminga chipped in 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks, finishing with a positive differential of +11. Still, without Curry, his teammates had a hard time filling that big void.
The Timberwolves also saw key contributions from others. For example, Rudy Gobert’s eye-popping dunk pumped up the squad and added to their lead. Meanwhile, coach Chris Finch made some smart calls—including successfully challenging a foul call on Draymond Green, which pushed him into his fifth foul (a move that shifted momentum during the game).
How the game unfolded
The match kicked off with strong starts from Edwards and Conley for the Timberwolves as they hit early 3-pointers. However, the Warriors answered back with a solid 9-0 run at the end of the first quarter, tying things at 21-21. In the second quarter, Minnesota took the reins when Reid and McDaniels knocked down three straight 3-pointers. Even with that push, Golden State closed the first half on a high note with a 13-1 run, finishing the half up by a small margin at 42-40.
In the third quarter, Edwards kept his high-energy play while Butler tried to keep the Warriors in front. Heading into the fourth quarter, Golden State was up 73-69 but couldn’t hold onto it—especially after Draymond Green hit his sixth foul and had to leave the game, which really slowed down their defense.
The Warriors mixed up their lineup by starting Trayce Jackson-Davis and later bringing in Jonathan Kuminga and Gary Payton II to shift the game’s flow. Even though they racked up 32 of their 42 first-half points from inside the paint, their shooting from downtown wasn’t on point as they missed all five of their 3-point attempts.
On the flip side, Anthony Edwards remained the driving force behind Minnesota’s offense all night. The Timberwolves made the most of Green’s foul trouble during the crunch time, and Jaden McDaniels’ steady free throws helped seal the win.
What’s next
This win puts Minnesota back in the driver’s seat on their home court for the series, making Game 4 a must-watch for Golden State—especially if Stephen Curry still can’t play due to injury issues or other lineup shifts (the teams are constantly adjusting as the playoffs heat up). As the two squads meet again in upcoming clashes, both will be looking to keep up their performance. Fans can expect these matchups to continue to be nail-biters, with every decision on the court counted as players push themselves to their limits under pressure.