It wasn’t the result Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors were hoping for on Saturday night. Back at home in San Francisco’s Chase Center for Game 3 of their second-round playoff series, the Warriors aimed to seize momentum after splitting the first two games on the road in Minneapolis. But the Minnesota Timberwolves had other ideas. Minnesota edged out a 102-97 win to take a 2-1 series lead, leaving the Warriors searching for answers.
Still, one silver lining for Golden State was the breakout performance of Jonathan Kuminga, who poured in 30 points off the bench. Following the game, teammate Jimmy Butler had high praise for the 22-year-old forward. “It’s a beautiful sight to see,” Butler said. “But like I tell everybody, me and him can thrive together… He did so many good things out there on the floor, and I know he’s gonna be a huge part of us winning on Monday.” Kuminga’s performance didn’t just earn admiration—it made history. He became the youngest player in franchise history to score 30 or more points off the bench in a playoff game. Butler and Kuminga combined for 63 of the Warriors’ 97 points.
Buddy Hield was the only other player in double figures, finishing with 14 points. Meanwhile, Draymond Green struggled again, managing just two points, two rebounds, and four assists—his second consecutive underwhelming outing. Kuminga, now wrapping up his fourth season with Golden State, is making the most of his expanded role. After limited minutes against Houston in the first round, he’s stepped up big in this series. He played 13 minutes in the opener against Minnesota and ramped that up to 35 minutes in Game 3.
The Warriors continue to play without Steph Curry, who suffered a hamstring injury during their Game 1 win. While there’s speculation Curry could return for Game 5, nothing has been confirmed by the team. Golden State and Minnesota will face off again Monday night at the Chase Center for Game 4, where the Warriors hope to even the series.
The Golden State Warriors lost Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals to the Minnesota Timberwolves 102-97 on Saturday, May 10, 2025. The Warriors are now trailing 2-1 in the series. Anthony Edwards had 36 points for the Timberwolves. Jimmy Butler III had 33 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists for the Warriors.
Jonathan Kuminga scored 30 points off the bench on 11-for-18 shooting, with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. Buddy Hield had 14 points on 5-for-11 shooting. Julius Randle had 24 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Game 4 will be on Monday night, May 12, 2025, at Chase Center with opening tip-off scheduled for 10:00 pm Eastern.
The Warriors have had a jagged process fully integrating Jonathan Kuminga and Jimmy Butler on the floor together since the mid-season trade. Kuminga had a breakout performance, despite the Game 3 loss to Minnesota, filling in for the absence of superstar Steph Curry. "JK played one of the best games of his life," said an NBA TV post-game analysis.
Steve Kerr had high praise for Kuminga, who dropped 30 points off the bench. The Warriors' young forward finished the game with 30 points and 6 rebounds on 11-for-18 shooting, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. Jimmy Butler has some high praise for Kuminga after the game, explaining how the two can continue to co-exist, especially without Steph Curry for at least the next two games. "He's a great basketball player...I can play with anybody. He can play with anybody. It's all about playing basketball the right way," Butler said about Kuminga.
Butler did not score in the final 8 minutes of the Game 3 loss, as the Warriors let their 4th quarter lead slip away. He ended the game with 33 points on 12-for-26 shooting to go along with 7 rebounds and 7 assists, but was not aggressive in the 4th quarter as he was in the previous 3 quarters. Butler continued to pour in praise for Kuminga, as well as reassure everyone that the two can work together on the floor. "Don't matter who you out there with, just play basketball the right way. Me and JK [Jonathan Kuminga] could thrive; can and will thrive together on the basketball floor," Butler stated.
The duo of Kuminga and Butler are the first Warriors pair to each have 30 or more points in a playoff game since Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in 2022, showing how much of a scoring punch the two can have when they are firing on all cylinders. With the Warriors now down 2-1 to the Timberwolves, Game 4 will be essentially a must-win scenario with Curry still sidelined for the foreseeable future.
