SAN FRANCISCO — In a show of exceptional skill and leadership, Anthony Edwards took command of the court and his team during Monday night’s playoff game against the Golden State Warriors. As halftime approached, Edwards launched a 3-pointer from 30 feet, a crucial shot that infused the Minnesota Timberwolves with the energy they carried right into a transforming third quarter.
Beyond his athletic prowess, Edwards also delivered a motivational talk to his teammates at the break. This assertive move was acknowledged by Chris Finch, Minnesota’s head coach, who credited Edwards’ words for the team’s spirited second-half performance. “At halftime, Coach mentioned we seemed to be playing as if we had already sealed the series, and that didn’t sit well with me,” Edwards expressed. “I reminded the squad, ‘We only have two wins.’”
In the end, Edwards finished with 30 points, Julius Randle added 31, leading the Timberwolves to a 117-110 victory and securing a 3-1 series lead over the Warriors in the Western Conference playoffs.
The ability to stay close to the Warriors by halftime proved pivotal. “It was crucial,” remarked Finch. “It felt like a battle where rhythm was elusive. I feared we might be trailing significantly at the break, but thanks to his shot evening the score, it gave us the momentum we needed to return with strong purpose.”
This victory sends the Timberwolves back to Minneapolis, putting them in a strong position to clinch the Western Conference semifinal series during Game 5, slated for Wednesday night. Meanwhile, the Warriors are struggling without star player Stephen Curry, who missed a third consecutive game, and is scheduled for further evaluation on his strained left hamstring.
Warriors veteran Draymond Green expressed realism regarding Curry’s return, “We’re not expecting miracles,” he said. “If he’s fit to play, he certainly will.”
The night’s action saw Edwards’ back-to-back 3-pointers ignite a critical 17-0 scoring run for Minnesota, propelling them to an 85-68 lead by late third quarter. Heading into the final quarter, the Timberwolves had extended their advantage to 97-77, leaving the Warriors unable to mount a comeback.
Fresh off a 36-point showing in Game 3, Edwards’ decisive efforts kept Minnesota competitive as his 3-point shot tightened the game to 60-58 by halftime. With a repeat of their second-half prowess, following a narrow halftime deficit in Game 3’s 102-97 win, the Timberwolves remained formidable.
Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga shone off the bench with 23 points and an impressive 11 of 12 from the free-throw line, building on his 30-point performance in the previous clash with another stellar game.
Contributions from Jaden McDaniels, who racked up 10 points and 13 rebounds, added to Minnesota’s robust effort.
An incident involving Buddy Hield arose 4:17 before halftime when McDaniels made contact with Hield’s neck, sparking a replay review amid chants of “You can’t do that!” from the crowd. Ultimately, the action was ruled a common foul, not a flagrant.
Without Curry, Golden State continues to face challenges, their offense and 3-point capability lagging since he was sidelined in Game 1. In this match, they replicated many struggles from their prior 102-97 defeat.
Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green each contributed 14 points for the Warriors, while Buddy Hield added 13 to their tally.
Despite Curry’s absence, Finch’s defensive strategy focused intently on stifling the Warriors’ notable 3-point prowess, effectively holding them to just 8 of 27 attempts from beyond the arc.