In a dramatic turn of events, the Minnesota Timberwolves capitalized on the absence of Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, overpowering the Warriors 117-93 in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Thursday night at Target Center in Minneapolis. This victory leveled the series at one game apiece, setting the stage for an exciting showdown as the series shifts to San Francisco for Game 3.
The Timberwolves, who were stunned in Game 1, came out firing on all cylinders, opening the game with a staggering 15-0 run that left the Warriors scrambling for answers. Julius Randle led the charge for Minnesota, finishing with a game-high 24 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds. His performance was complemented by Anthony Edwards, who contributed 20 points and nine rebounds, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who added another 20 points off the bench, including four three-pointers.
Golden State's struggles were evident from the start, as they failed to find any offensive rhythm without Curry, who is sidelined with a Grade 1 hamstring strain suffered during Game 1. Coach Steve Kerr experimented with his lineup, using all 14 available players in hopes of finding a spark, but the Warriors could not keep pace. They turned the ball over 20 times and shot just 9 for 32 from beyond the arc, a dismal 28% success rate.
"We looked a lot more like ourselves. Obviously, the start was great for us," said Timberwolves coach Chris Finch. "That's what we needed. Set the tone. I thought we were pretty consistent there with everything other than the beginning of the second half, but other than that, it was exactly the response that we needed." The Timberwolves maintained control throughout the game, extending their lead to as much as 22 points in the second quarter before heading into halftime with a commanding 56-39 advantage.
Despite a brief rally from the Warriors in the third quarter, where they cut the deficit to just seven points at 62-55, Minnesota quickly regrouped and closed the quarter with a 20-5 run, pushing their lead back to 20 points. The Warriors' hope of a comeback faded as Kerr ultimately pulled his starters with four minutes remaining in the game, allowing the Timberwolves to coast to victory.
Jonathan Kuminga led the Warriors' scoring efforts with 18 points off the bench, while Jimmy Butler added 17 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. However, the absence of Curry, who has been averaging a team-best 22 points in the playoffs, was felt deeply. "Everybody knows it’s difficult to recreate or even get close to doing what he does, but we’re going to have to find a way," Butler said. "So we’ll go to the tapes, talk about it and execute it to the best of our abilities."
As the Warriors prepare for Game 3, they face the daunting challenge of adjusting their strategy without their star player. Curry, who was ruled out for at least a week, expressed his frustration over the injury. "It’s hard to really predict this stuff is what I’m learning," he said. "There were no, like, warning signs or any weird feelings. I felt great the whole game up until that point. And then I made a little pivot move on defense and felt something." Curry scored 13 points in just 13 minutes before exiting Game 1, which the Warriors won 99-88.
In the absence of Curry, the Warriors must rely on their depth and find new ways to generate offense. Coach Kerr acknowledged the learning curve ahead. "We’re trying to figure out what we’re gonna be able to do in this series without Steph, so we gave a lot of people a lot of chances," he explained. "I thought we made a really spirited run to get the lead down to seven, but then we just kind of lost a little bit of composure. We turned it over a couple of times, gave up a couple of threes when we lost our defensive connection. But we learned a lot and I think this game will help us figure out how to move forward."
As the series heads to San Francisco for Game 3 on Saturday, both teams are poised for a fierce battle. The Timberwolves will look to build on their momentum from this decisive victory, while the Warriors must regroup and find a way to adapt to the absence of their leader. With the series tied at one game apiece, fans can expect an electrifying atmosphere as the teams vie for supremacy in the Western Conference playoffs.
