Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green carried the Warriors to a halftime lead, but Playoff Jimmy was nowhere to be found.
In a seemingly must-win Game 4 for the Golden State Warriors, the Dubs looked like a team missing the superstar that makes them click in a 117-110 blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on their home floor. With Steph Curry sidelined, the Dubs have lost three consecutive games and will now face a win or go home Game 5 in Minnesota.
After an ugly performance in Game 3, Draymond Green came out firing on all cylinders. Green was aggressively attacking the glass and trying to push the pace early, and was also clearly trying to take a larger role in ball handling early, perhaps trying to take some responsibility off Jimmy Butler III’s plate after Butler ran out of gas late in Game 3.
Green’s 8 first-quarter points were matched by Jonathan Kuminga. The Warriors’ 2021 lottery pick was once again coming off the bench for head coach Steve Kerr, and he offered an immediate spark. Kuminga picked up where he left off in Game 3, where he was one of Golden State’s two best players.
Kuminga was disciplined defensively and consistently looking for opportunities to attack offensively. He showcased some impressive patience on drives, and was able to avoid out of control drives. He also drew several fouls, pushing Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels into foul trouble. Kuminga scored a team-high 16 points in the first half and helped ensure the Warriors had a 60-58 lead while Kerr got Butler six minutes of rest.
The Wolves two biggest stars, Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, had no intentions of letting the Warriors cruise to victory. Randle continued to dominate Golden State’s undersized lineups. The powerful forward consistently bullied the Dubs inside, but also capitalized on a pair of defensive mishaps that gave him wide open threes. He had a game-high 19 points in the first half.
The Warriors were ready to pass the baton to Butler. But after scoring 33 points in Game 3, Playoff Jimmy was nowhere to be found.
Edwards, on the other hand, smelled blood in the water and seized the moment. While Butler failed to convert several drives inside, Edwards scored 14 points in the quarter and led a 17-0 Wolves run to put Golden State behind for good.
Edwards picked up his fourth foul late in the third quarter, and had the Warriors stayed within striking distance, the door may have still been open. Instead, the Dubs were behind by more than 15 points and just lacked the offensive firepower for any comeback.
The Warriors two losses at home each centered on the failure of one of their trusted All-Star veterans. In Curry’s absence, Green and Butler were entrusted to keep the team from drowning. Butler delivered in Game 3, but Green had his worst performance of the series. Green answered the call in Game 4, but Butler seemed disengaged, perhaps still worn down from his effort in the prior matchup.
If you told Golden State when Curry went down that Kuminga would play as well on both sides of the ball as he has in Games 3 and 4 in Curry’s absence, they probably would have told you that should be enough to win. It should have been. Kuminga recorded 23 points in 30 minutes on 6-for-13 shooting from the field (11-for-12 from the line). Granted, his 1 assist, 1 steal, and 0 rebound line left some room for improvement.
Still, Butler’s concerning passive 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists on just 9 field-goal attempts earned his game-worst -30 plus/minus. Green’s shooting fell back to earth in the second half, but he at least took 14 shots, finishing with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists.
The Warriors put up the white flag with more than 4 minutes left in regulation and a 20+ point deficit. The back of the bench immediately went on a 7-0 run to make the score more respectable. Their run led Wolves coach Chris Finch to play his starters the rest of the way, but the end result was never in doubt.
Edwards finished with a game-high 30 points on 11-for-21 shooting from the field (6-for-11 from three) with 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals in just 33 minutes of action. Randle matched his co-star with 31 points, 5 boards, and 3 assists. McDaniels finished with a 10-point, 13-rebound double-double.
With the stars leading the way, the rest of the Wolves roster took advantage of their three-point opportunities. In fact, Minnesota as a team made nearly half of their three-point attempts while the Warriors were 8-for-27 (29.6%). If Dub Nation is looking for one ray of hope in Game 5, some regression to the mean could help equalize.
Whether it be age, injury, or off-court distraction, Butler and Green simply were unable to rise to the occasion for two consecutive games at home. Buddy Hield was mediocre. And Gary Payton II alongside the non-Kuminga youngsters look scared to shoot.
The Warriors will have an excuse for losing this series. Steph Curry was hurt. But it seems like that excuse has been in the back of their minds the whole time. Kerr admitted to punting Game 2 in search of new lineup combinations. Green and Butler have been inconsistent. For a franchise full of people who speak about owing a lot to Curry, Kuminga was the only person who played with the controlled desperation his absence required.
Both teams will have one day off as they travel back to Minnesota for Game 5, where the Wolves will be heavy favorites to end the Warriors season. Curry will be reevaluated prior to the game on Wednesday, but it’s hard to imagine him being cleared to play. Even if he is, he will likely be extremely limited.