Timberwolves beat Curry-less Warriors 117-93 in Recreation 2 to even collection
MINNEOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves had been stewing over their tough begin in Recreation 1 towards Golden State, a response coach Chris Finch was happy to see.
Julius Randle had 24 factors and 11 assists to assist the Timberwolves capitalize on Warriors star Stephen Curry’s absence in a 117-93 victory Thursday that tied the second-round collection at a sport apiece.
The muse was laid in an ornery movie session with Finch and his workers the day earlier than.
“He was sad, and he tell us he was sad, and we felt that,” Randle mentioned. “We had been fairly motivated as a crew.”
Anthony Edwards completed with 20 factors after an harm scare for the Wolves, who greater than tripled their 3-point output from their Recreation 1 loss when Curry was sidelined by a left hamstring pressure that probably will hold him out at the very least till subsequent week.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 20 factors to spearhead an excellent efficiency by the bench, combining with Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid to go 10 for 22 from deep.
“We appeared much more like ourselves,” Finch mentioned.
Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis mixed to shoot 14 for 17 from the ground for the Warriors. They took practically 5 minutes to attain, lastly breaking by way of down 13-0 on Jimmy Butler’s 3-pointer.
With the NBA’s profession main 3-point shooter subsequent to him on the bench, coach Steve Kerr used a kitchen-sink experiment with 14 gamers getting time.
“However I’d nonetheless wish to win,” Butler mentioned. “I believe the most important lesson is don’t begin off in a gap like we did tonight, and the sport perhaps may have ended up just a little bit otherwise.”
Kuminga, the seventh general choose within the 2021 draft who dropped out of the rotation at instances through the common season and missed vital time with a sprained proper ankle, was a brilliant spot off the bench. However this Warriors crew was already skinny on offense with a wholesome Curry.
“We now have to determine what we’re going to have the ability to do on this collection with out Steph,” Kerr mentioned. “So we gave lots of people lots of possibilities, and a few guys actually stepped up.”
Towards the Wolves and their athletic, lengthy and versatile protection, there wasn’t a lot to lean on. With out Curry to fret about, the Wolves had a better time maintaining shooters Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski quiet.
The Warriors put up their lowest first-quarter rating within the playoffs since Recreation 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals, in accordance with Sportradar, after they had 11 in a loss to Cleveland.
Draymond Inexperienced picked up his fifth technical foul of the playoffs, two wanting an computerized one-game suspension, for elbowing Naz Reid after Reid had simply fouled him.
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