Preview: On the precipice
Curry ruled out, Warriors short on answers
Stephen Curry won’t be back tonight to save the season, so if the Golden State Warriors have any hope of getting past the Minnesota TImberwolves, it will have to start with a win in Minnesota tonight - without their best player.
This is it. Season on the line.
Golden State has now lost three straight playoff games - something that has happened in nearly a decade. There are some changes the team can (and will) make, but the team won’t risk Curry to make a final desperation ploy to keep this season alive.
Whether they make it through the Timberwolves or not, the actual worst case scenario would be some sort of disastrous major injury for Curry. The ghost of Kevin Durant’s hamstring haunts the halls of Dub Nation, ensuring that there will always be an over-abundance of caution.
So tonight, the rest of the roster rides for Curry. Hoping against the odds to somehow squeeze some more success out of an incredibly challenging season.
GAME DETAILS
WHO: Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves
Warriors trail series 1-3
WHEN: Wednesday, May 13th, 2025; 6:30pm PDT
WATCH: TNT
Wrong side of a third quarter beat down
Coming into halftime with a two point lead, the Warriors were looking okay against the Timberwolves in game four. And then, in a sight that Warriors fans are accustomed to, the third quarter blitz was too much - only this time, Golden State was on the wrong side of the table.
As has been the case for the past few games, Anthony Edwards (30 points) and Julius Randle (31 points) were just too much for Golden State to keep up with. If you haven’t yet, please go read Daniel Hardee’s excellent recap of the last game, where he characterized Kuminga specifically, but the Warriors more broadly as: "Flashes of brilliance followed by statistical holes big enough to drive a team bus through."
The answers are all over the place, but likely start with Butler. Reportedly a bit under the weather, his inability to generate offense late in the game was a huge part of the worrisome second half. He took just nine shots - 17 less than in the previous game.
Watching the lead grow in the third quarter with a growing sense of helplessness, it was clear that there wasn’t going to be any magical comeback from this. Maybe tonight will be different.
There are, as always, some bright spots.
Kuminga looks to be a tough cover for the Timberwolves. Though his contributions aren’t the full solution, it’s clear that he’s at least part of the answer. The Warriors have to figure out ways to make Minnesota struggle both on offense and defense. Neither are a has been much of a strength for Golden State in this series, but if there’s one thing this squad has in spades, it’s grit.
I don’t have much more analysis to give. The struggles of some of the peripheral Warriors is ongoing and unfortunate, but can be flipped back to normal quickly - regression to the mean!
The Warriors don’t need to win the series tonight, they just need to push it one more game. Maybe Curry returns, maybe not, but that shouldn’t matter tonight. One last chance to extend the season.
One last chance to give Curry another chance, before the season sunsets, and the clock keeps on ticking.
Prediction
Win.
Post game thread up!
BELIEVE!!!!
ONE GAME, FELLAS. PLEASE.
> "Curry, who has missed the last three games due to a strained hamstring, has been re-evaluated," the team statement reads. "The re-evaluation indicated that Curry is making good progress in his recovery. He has been cleared to participate in light on-court workouts, including shooting drills. He will be re-evaluated again on Saturday."