Anthony Edwards was strong down the stretch in Game 3. Can he keep that going in Game 4?
This series is all about pace and has been since the early minutes of the second quarter of Game 1.
That’s when Golden State guard Stephen Curry grabbed at his left hamstring and left the court at Target Center, his Warriors leading 30-20 in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals against Minnesota. From that point onward, the Timberwolves’ goal has been not just to win and advance but to do so as swiftly as possible, to close out this round before Curry can recover sufficiently to return.
The Warriors’ priority, by contrast, was to lose as slowly as possible. Pragmatism, not pessimism, made it clear their prospects to prevail dimmed considerably with Curry’s injury. A timer got set with the All-Star guard’s MRI exam the morning after, with one week to survive until Curry’s recovery and rehab would be medically evaluated.
Only Game 4 stands between Golden State and an official update on its golden boy. It’s possible Curry’s Grade 1 strain could have healed enough to see him back for Game 5 on Wednesday back in Minnesota, his team either tied at 2-2 or down 3-1 in the series.
Then again, Curry’s hamstring could require more time, pushing his return out several more days — which this series could provide, with Game 6 set for Sunday. That’s an unusually long time between games in any NBA playoff series, a convenient calendar for the Warriors’ inconvenient situation.
Who’s to say that Curry’s leg will cooperate even with four additional days of R&R? Still, the Warriors were encouraged by the trouble-free workout he logged before Game 3 Saturday. There’s been speculation Golden State might peg the decision — go or slow — to the outcome Monday night at Chase Center in San Francisco: If the Warriors even the series, they buy Curry the extra time, a total of 12 days between appearances. If they’re on the brink of elimination, he conceivably could chance it Wednesday, hoping at least to provide at least an inspiring Willis Reed-like cameo in a must-win.
“If we don’t win,” Warriors forward Jimmy Butler said of Game 4 “we damn sure don’t have to worry about getting Steph back this year.”
That isn’t necessarily true, but it does make this game at San Francisco’s Chase Center more pivotal than most in a best-of-seven series.
Here are four things to look for in Game 4 on Monday (10 ET, ESPN).
1. A whole game from Edwards
In the second halves of the three games so far, Wolves guard Anthony Edwards has scored 69 points on 23-of-36 shooting. Double that and we’d be talking about something historic: 46.0 ppg, 63.9% shooting. Instead, Edwards’ slow starts — 16 total points, 5-of-27 in first halves — have led to uncertainty and some halftime scrambling by Minnesota.
The most noticeable shift in Game 3 was putting the ball in forward Julius Randle’s hands more to start offensive possessions. That kept Edwards off the ball, a tougher target for double-teams. It helped that Randle responded with the first triple-double of his playoff life (24 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists) and a reasonable four turnovers against the Warriors’ handsy defense.
The Warriors, with defensive guru Ron Adams on the case, could make things more difficult for Randle Monday. The best counter to that is to keep Edwards free and moving, with Mike Conley or someone else initiating offense, and for the alleged “next face of the league” to dominate for four quarters rather than exploding for the last two.
2. Less time off for this Butler
When Butler was asked after Game 2 about gutting out 43 minutes, he deflected by talking about his youthful days in Chicago when coach Tom Thibodeau would keep him on the floor for 48. That wouldn’t seem to be sustainable now that Butler is 35 years old, and it’s not fair to ask for more than the 33 points, seven rebounds and seven assists he provided Saturday.
But surviving trumps sustaining right now. And the numbers are clear: Golden State in Butler’s 118 minutes has outscored Minnesota by 10 points. In the 26 minutes he sat, the Warriors have been outscored by 28.
The Warriors’ style with Butler and without Curry is more methodical, more physical, closer to the basket and defensive-focused. That’s a synopsis of how Butler plays and when he’s not out there, the formula unravels, no matter how many points off the bench they get from revived, raw-talent Jonathan Kuminga.
3. A bigger contribution from Green
Draymond Green’s point totals — a surprising 18 in the opener, then nine and, finally, two — rarely tell the story of his impact on games. His presence Saturday was muted, however, because he wasn’t for the final minutes, fouling out with 4:36 to play on a pair of coin-toss type calls.
For only the fifth time all season and second in the playoffs, Green was put out of the game early — not for specific antics, but for defensive plays that drew whistles. The Warriors trailed 85-82 when he committed his sixth. Counting the free throws, Minnesota scored 17 points in the time remaining. That’s far too many for a team lacking its No. 1 scorer and clutch performer.
Until Curry returns, Green’s signal-calling and ability to be right where the Warriors need him defensively are as essential as Butler’s shift into scorer mode.
4. Wolves’ 3rd star gets noticed
See, Jaden McDaniels’ name didn’t even make the mini-headline on this section. That’s how below-the-radar he often is, on a squad with Edwards, defensive anchor Rudy Gobert, and lately, Randle.
But this series tilts the other way, maybe even 3-0 against the Wolves, without McDaniels’ contributions. He’s third among them in scoring, averaging 14.3 points on 58.6% shooting in this series, with nine of his 11 in Game 3 in the fourth quarter. He has six blocks and four steals vs. Golden State, and leads Minnesota’s starters in defensive efficiency at 103.8 with a +13.8 net rating. Better yet, in what NBA.com defines as “matchup minutes” (14:32) vs. Butler, “Playoff Jimmy” has scored a mere three points on 1-of-8 shooting (12.3%).
More results like that could have McDaniels’ name soaring to the top of stories rather than the end.
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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
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