How the Timberwolves dug deeply to take a 2-1 advance on the warriors

San Francisco – The Timberwolves won a 102-97 confusing victory over the Warriors in match 3 At the Chase Center on Saturday, entering an advantage of 2-1 in the semi-finals of the Western Conference. With match 4 which is looming on Monday in San Francisco, and Stephen Curry would have unavailable up to at least match 6The warriors are now found in an essential situation.

Here are the biggest dishes to remember from the confrontation on Saturday evening:

Point Julius takes over hasriple-double

Julius Randle is locked in all the facets of the game right now while he continues to dispel the story of him without reliable in the playoffs. Randle punctuated the Wolves with 13 points in the first half, but it was the catalyst for a wave of second half that helped unlock the offensive and, more importantly, Anthony Edwards.

Randle was masterful, displaying its first triple-double in career playoffs, ending with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. He is the First Timberwolves player since Kevin Garnett To encroach a triple-double in playoffs, and that could not have happened at a better time.

“I feel like just having a lot of different tools, do you know what I mean?” Said Randle. “It's really about using my mind and taking what defense gives me.”

Its ability to intimidate low and find the Minnesota shooters turned out to be vital, while Randle has forced Golden State several times in rotations that have led to open looks. His game was essential for the Wolves in the second half, because he generated nine of his 12 assists on the last two images. Six of these assists in the second half went to Edwards.

“It was incredible, guy,” said Edwards. “Find everyone on cuts. Find the guy open, many times. Putting the rhythm. This is what we asked him, and he did it at a high level.”

Edwards has the second half, catches a body

While Triple-Double of Randle supported the turnaround of Minnesota, Edwards stole the show. After scoring a modest eight points in the first half on 3 shots out of 12, Edwards launched his game in Hyperdrive, finishing with 36 points (13 of 28 FG, 5 3PT, 5 of 8 pi) with 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 block in 44 minutes.

When Draymond Green resumed his fourth fault in the third quarter, Edwards capitalized, making a concerted effort to descend. He scored 15 points in the third, with five of his six FGS coming to painting, including this banger on Kevon Looney.

When asked what had triggered him, Edwards said, “I had the impression that when Jonathan Kuminga went to me, it made me go more, if anything.”

The Warriors did a good job by bringing Edwards out of the rhythm in the first half, but everything met once it focused on higher looks, lowering 28 in second period with 13 in the fourth quarter. A night when the Wolves bench added only 11 points, Edwards and Randle put the team on the back.

Mike Conley joined Randle and Edwards at the post-match press conference, and although his figures do not jump from the page, his defense and his balance at the end of the match in the fourth were the veteran leaders that the wolves needed in this rock fight.

Warriors The offensive flickering in the fourth quarter

Golden State fell without fighting, leading by four before the last period. But then the wheels detached. The Warriors had trouble generating a late attack, marking only 24 points in the fourth with more reversals (four) than the assists (five). It is then that not having curry is quite obvious.

Some factors were at stake in the fourth:

Jimmy Butler, a dog all night, became frozen, pulling 1 by 7 on the ground.
Draymond Green defeated at 4:38. The Warriors managed to win the third quarter by two points without the foul green; They did not have the same fate in the fourth. Offensively, without green screens and decision-making in the half-terrain, the Warriors had trouble creating quality looks against the compact defense of Minnesota.
No one showed up with the exception of Kuminga.

Kuminga was great on the bench, scoring 30 points (11 on 18 FG, 3 out of 4 3pt, 5 of 6 ft) with 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. He looked like a guy who wanted a big contract during the offseason and resumed his way in relevance on Saturday evening. Kerr must stick to JK, which is quite interesting since he was in Kerr's niche all year round. Kuminga and Butler represented 65% of the Warriors points and 54% of their shooting attempts. It looks like a success recipe if you are the Timberwolves.

What is the next step?

For Golden State, the feeling of urgency is now undeniable. Down 2-1 of the series and with unavailable curry, the pressure is on the Warriors to recover from the momentum on Monday evening in match 4. Green must remain away. Brandin Podziemski must wake up after turning 6 out of 26 to three games. The Warriors must limit the reversals, keep the ball in motion and continue to put pressure on the front area of Minnesota. The focus made by the Warriors on the fact that Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid are in difficulty while punishing the post worked during three -quarters. This type of physicity and intention is essential, especially when wolves remove their ability to draw 3s; The Warriors only tried five in the first half.

For Minnesota, this victory was a statement. The Wolves cut the water for everyone except Butler and Kuminga and forced the Warriors to play without their defensive anchor in the most pressurized moments. Wolves need more offense from their bench, but involving Jaden McDaniels Plus (4 out of 7 of the ground) would be in their best interest. Its seven firing attempts were its second minus the playoffs, and its growth continues to be one of their largest X factors of the playoffs. Finally, if Edwards can stop being satisfied with 3S and starting to attack as he did in the second half, the Warriors will be on the strings.

Match 4 is waiting. Wolves feel blood. Golden State needs an answer. Close.

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