Hoping for a change of scenery, the Golden State Warriors took their strong road record to Minnesota on Sunday. Sadly, the trip proved to be another frustrating chapter in a majorly disappointing season for the 4-time champions. Despite Stephen Curry‘s 31 points and 5 three-pointers, the Warriors struggled to contain Minnesota’s outside shooting, falling 114-110 at Target Center.
Sports Mogul Bill Simmons perfectly summed up the Warriors’ mood with a tweet: “WARRIORS OFFICIAL PANIC TWEET.”
WARRIORS OFFICIAL PANIC TWEET
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) March 25, 2024
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This defeat puts Golden State (36-34) two games behind the Los Angeles Lakers in the race for the ever-important 9th seed in the Western Conference. Making matters worse, the Houston Rockets (currently 11th in the West) are breathing down their necks, just one game behind. Seems like the pressure is on for the Warriors to find their winning formula.
There was a definite sense of “unfinished business” hanging over Sunday’s clash between the Timberwolves and Warriors. Memories of the Draymond Green-Rudy Gobert brawl in San Francisco were still fresh, it seems.
Despite Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert shaking off questionable tags to start, Minnesota initially struggled offensively. Since Karl-Anthony Towns’ injury, the Timberwolves have embraced the 3-point line. Their long-range barrage (21-for-40) pushed them past Golden State in the 2nd half of the game, with Naz Reid leading the charge early (20 points) before the Ant-Man joined him with 23 points and 4 threes. Even the 3-point king himself, Stephen Curry (31 points, 5 threes), couldn’t keep pace with Minnesota’s rain-down, as the Warriors only managed 14-for-36 from deep.
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Golden State’s Grip on Play-In Spot Gets Shaky
Before this defeat, the Warriors had a strong 10-2 road record. In tonight’s showdown, Klay Thompson (16 points), Andrew Wiggins (15 points), and Draymond Green (12 points, 8 rebounds) chipped in, with Jonathan Kuminga adding 14 points. Chef Curry’s late free throws and layup brought them within one point with 14.9 seconds left, but it wasn’t enough.
Mike Conley (14 points, 7 assists) backed up the Timberwolves (49-22) who remain just a game behind the Denver Nuggets (50-21) in the Western Conference race and trail Oklahoma City (49-21) by a half-game. The Nuggets overtook the Thunder, who lost to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.
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Golden State (36-34) had built a 12-point first-half lead but Minnesota’s incredible 3-point display ultimately countered the Warriors’ early dominance. This high-scoring start to their 5-game road trip offered a glimmer of hope for Golden State. However, their struggles to find consistency and their shaky hold on the 10th seed (the final play-in spot) are a cause for concern, especially with the red-hot fiery Houston Rockets (35-35) breathing down their necks just one game back. Can the Warriors rediscover their championship caliber, or is it officially panic time? The race for the play-in tournament is heating up, stay tuned for more!