MINNEAPOLIS — The Golden State Warriors entered the fourth quarter Sunday evening in Minneapolis up 3 factors. Steph Curry’s minute whole stood at an affordable 23, having rested the ultimate 4:07 of the third quarter. Two nights earlier, on the same substitution sample, Steve Kerr performed Curry the whole fourth, upping his whole to 35.
It’s clear Kerr, Rick Celebrini and the Warriors’ decision-makers didn’t wish to repeat that quantity. It’s the start of a compact street journey. They’ve most well-liked to maintain Curry down within the 32-minute vary most nights. So Curry sat to open the fourth quarter.
However the Minnesota Timberwolves flipped the rating rapidly, upping the urgency. The primary 4 possessions went Trayce Jackson-Davis turnover, Nickeil Alexander-Walker made 3, Andrew Wiggins turnover, Monte Morris made 3. Minnesota went from down 3 factors to up 3 in 57 seconds.
Kerr let the scenario experience a bit. They bought a Brandin Podziemski made 3 and Chris Paul midranger to quickly stabilize. However a Rudy Gobert dunk, Paul turnover and Mike Conley layup put the Timberwolves up 4 with 8:56 left. The Warriors referred to as timeout.
It profiled because the possible second Curry would enter. The ultimate 8:56 would’ve put him proper at 32 minutes, his typical conservative quantity. Curry admitted he was “somewhat bit” shocked his quantity wasn’t referred to as at that time, contemplating the circumstance of each the sport and this slipping season.
“I wish to play as many minutes as I’m contemporary and capable of,” Curry mentioned.
Curry would relaxation an additional two minutes. In that timeframe, the Warriors’ deficit moved from 4 factors to eight factors. When Curry returned on the 6:54 mark of the fourth quarter, following one other timeout, they had been down 97-89.
They’d finally lose 114-110. Curry would end at solely 29 minutes and 51 seconds. In that court docket time, the Warriors outscored the Timberwolves by 6 factors. In his greater than 18 minutes on the bench, they had been outscored by 10 factors.
“We’re making an attempt to maintain him round 30, get him as a lot relaxation as we will,” Kerr mentioned. “Performed him lots of minutes, performed him 35 two days in the past. So long as we had been hanging in there, we needed to restrict the minutes somewhat bit. Not restrict them, however not overplay him.”
It’s not possible to know whether or not Curry’s two further minutes on the bench would’ve modified the end result and, at this level, it’s unlikely {that a} win over the Timberwolves would change the Warriors’ Play-In destiny. They’re too far out of the eighth spot (5 video games) for one win or loss to swing it. Nevertheless it’s the newest misfire and slender loss in a season stuffed with them.
“No,” Kerr mentioned when requested if that two-minute further Curry relaxation price them. “We’ve bought Chris Paul on the market. We’ve bought Klay (Thompson). We’ve bought Draymond (Inexperienced). We’ve bought nice gamers on the market. We are able to’t count on to only experience Steph sport after sport after sport. These previous couple of weeks have been actually robust on him. We’ve put the burden of this franchise on his shoulders for 15 years. We are able to’t count on him to play 35 minutes. We now have 5 video games in seven days on this street journey. If you wish to say that him enjoying half-hour as an alternative of 32 is the distinction within the win or the loss, I completely disagree with that. We’re making an attempt to win the sport. We’re making an attempt to maintain him contemporary.”
Steve Kerr: “If you wish to say (Steph Curry) enjoying 30 or 32 minutes was the distinction in a win or a loss, I completely disagree.”
Full soundbite pic.twitter.com/otPdyyT4gr
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 25, 2024
The Warriors have 12 video games left. They may nonetheless catch the Los Angeles Lakers for the ninth spot. They’re at risk of getting run down from behind. The Houston Rockets are one sport out of tenth and the 2 play head-to-head on April 4 in Houston. Is it life like for the Warriors to maintain Curry within the 30-minute vary and nonetheless collect sufficient wins and momentum to make the kind of postseason noise they keep they imagine they will?
“The scenario will outline itself fairly clearly,” Curry mentioned. “It’s in actual time. Each sport issues. We’re inching nearer to the opposite finish of the standings that we by no means thought we’d be in. No one’s gonna wave the white flag and mail it in. If which means enjoying extra minutes, I’ll be prepared to try this.”
Steph Curry: “The scenario will outline itself fairly clearly. It’s in actual time. Each sport issues. We’re inching nearer to the opposite finish of the standings. No one’s gonna wave the white flag. If which means enjoying extra minutes, I’ll be prepared to try this.” pic.twitter.com/om2Mm8hZal
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 25, 2024
There have been points of Sunday’s loss to the Timberwolves that had been optimistic for the Warriors. They got here out centered defensively and guarded the rim properly. Minnesota had 9 turnovers and 18 factors (solely 6 within the paint) within the first quarter. The Timberwolves solely had 46 within the first half. Kerr praised the crew’s effort stage.
However the breakdowns had been too repetitive within the second half. Too typically, they combined up switches on the perimeter and had two gamers depart the incorrect shooter. They let Anthony Edwards flare for an open wing 3 with six minutes left. They let Conley stroll into an open 3 with three minutes left. They gave up 68 second-half factors.
“I don’t assume now we have nice habits,” Draymond Inexperienced mentioned, later including: “We’re a really quiet crew.”
Draymond Inexperienced with an sincere postgame in regards to the sputtering Warriors.
“I don’t assume now we have nice habits.”
“We’re a really quiet crew.”
“I don’t give a rattling in regards to the Rockets.” pic.twitter.com/poNFAVaL5H
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 25, 2024
The first rate defensive efficiency was a step in the proper path in comparison with the house loss to the Indiana Pacers two nights earlier. The Warriors spent almost two hours Sunday at their lodge in Minnesota going over what Inexperienced referred to as the “ugly” movie.
Kerr pinpointed the issue as an absence of effort in transition. His teaching employees tells gamers to both crash the offensive glass or dash again. In the event that they don’t do both, they seek advice from it as a “keep.” He mentioned that they had far too many “stays,” which immediately led to a different demoralizing dwelling loss.
“That’s on us as coaches. We now have to have the ability to get that message throughout. It’s a bunch effort. We now have to discover a approach to get it throughout to our guys.”
Steve Kerr confirmed the Warriors all their transition “stays” in loss to Pacers: “You don’t crash. You don’t get again. You simply form’ve stand there.”
There was a very egregious one in crunch time to present Nembhard a layup: “That was on there.” pic.twitter.com/frbJaSfX0o
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 24, 2024
Curry may’ve been probably the most egregious offender within the Pacers sport. He jogged again in transition on one of many sport’s greatest possessions, permitting Andrew Nembhard to fly previous him for an uncontested layup in crunchtime.
“As a participant, whenever you’re messing up and making errors,” Curry mentioned. “You then go watch the movie and it’s 10 instances worse. Each little play, we’re one step behind. It was play after play after play. It was troublesome to look at.”
The Warriors had been in a rush to get out of snowy Minneapolis on Sunday evening. The remainder of the journey is hotter. However extra challenges await. They’ve a Florida back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday nights towards the Miami Warmth and Orlando Magic, each playoff groups with sturdy defenses. Orlando is 25-10 at dwelling this season.
So it’s truthful to wonder if this Warriors spiral might bump them out of the tenth seed solely by the top of the week. The Rockets have the Portland Path Blazers on Monday evening.
“The NBA is such a bizarre league,” Curry mentioned. “It simply takes one little spark to get your self going. You see what Houston is doing proper now. They bought one little spark and so they’ve run off eight, 9 in a row. We’re able to doing it. Till we run out of video games, that’s the message.”
(Picture of Stephen Curry and Rudy Gobert: Brad Rempel / USA At this time)