In the latest thriller of the NBA 2025 qualifiers, the Minnesota Timberwolves overcome a tight match with the Golden State Warriors to take a 2-1 advance in the series. A series of late Warriors errors – turnover, faults, missed shots – turned out to be expensive, Golden State falling short 102-97 despite 33 points from Jimmy Butler.
After another slower departure for Minnesota Star Anthony Edwards, the goalkeeper came to life in the fourth quarter. The Warriors defensive specialist, Draymond Green, defeated the final setting halfway, leaving Edwards Libre to push the Timberwolves to the victory.
Minnesota took an early advance, but a 9-0 Warriors race in the first quarter put the teams even at 21-21. The two teams kept things nearby, Golden State rushing into an advance of 42-40 at halftime.
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With Curry sidelined, the usual threat of the Warriors beyond the arc was missing: the team scored its first three points at the start of the third quarter, after reaching 0-5 in the first half. Golden State finished 10-23 out of three, because Butler had his own increase in the second period, but during most of the game, the Warriors depended on their domination in painting.
Minnesota and Golden State kept it in a few points throughout the third image, before the Warriors started to withdraw, supported by an exuberant crowd. But the Timberwolves have made a tight match once again in the fourth quarter, finally striking their stride in the last minutes.
The absence of Green left Edwards free to let go: the goalkeeper scored 13 points in only fourth quarter, including three three points. Some late reversals and missed shots gave Minnesota a chance to conclude the agreement.
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Butler had a stellar match, ending with 33 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, after having marked 18 in the first half. In a particularly poetic moment, the Warriors put Edwards in the spin cycle at a central point of the game. Jonathan Kuminga also played very well, depositing 30 points on the bench for Golden State.
But Edwards had the last laugh, finishing with 36 points and pushing the Minnesota to victory. Julius Randle gave him a boost with a triple-double, which obtained 24 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists.
After shocking the Timberwolves in match 1and then Go into play 2The Warriors returned home with a chance to take a standard lead. Golden State had a difficult task to overcome after Lose Stephen Curry because of an injury to the hamstring Last week, but the loss on Saturday shows that the team has more difficulty coming.
The two teams will return to the Chase Center on Monday for match 4 of the series.
