Edwards Shines Again as Timberwolves Take Commanding 3-1 Lead
It was yet again a tale of two halves for both the Timberwolves and their electric superstar Anthony Edwards in game 4. The three-time All-Star got off to another slow start in the first half, scoring 14 points in the first half before exploding in the 3rd quarter. Edwards dropped 16 points in the 3rd quarter, nearly outscoring the entire Warriors team in the quarter. The brilliance of Edwards also trickled down to the entire Timberwolves team, as Minnesota went on a 17-0 run midway through the 3rd to take full control of the game.
Julius Randle Continued Playoff Excellence
While Edwards cooked the Warriors in the second half, Randle set the table for the Timberwolves in the first half. The sharp-shooting southpaw put on a show in the 1st quarter, scoring 19 of his game-high 31 points to keep the Timberwolves within striking distance. This 31-point outing comes fresh off a magnificent performance in Game 3, where Randle became just the second player in Timberwolves franchise history to notch a triple-double in a playoff game.
Warriors Offensive Woes
Although the Warriors’ offense was able to find a little bit of rhythm in their Game 3 loss, that wasn’t the case for tonight’s game. The Warriors went into half-time with a slim 60-58 lead on the back of a great first-half performance by Jonathan Kuminga, who scored 16 of his team-leading 23 points in the half. However, the wheels quickly fell off the wagon midway through the third quarter, getting down by as much as 21 in the second half. The absence of Stephen Curry also reared its head from the three-point line, as the Warriors only made 3 three-pointers in the second half, all three coming in the last five minutes of the 4th quarter.
The Timberwolves Happy Helpers
The Timberwolves supporting cast also gave Minnesota the extra boost needed to pull away from the Warriors. Timberwolves Forward Jaden McDaniels finished with a stout double-double for the game with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Center Rudy Gobert also gave Minnesota a solid performance on both ends of the floor. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year scored eight points and snagged six rebounds while locking down the paint for the Timberwolves throughout the night.
Road Dogs
The Timberwolves continue to prove that no away crowd is too loud, nor is any arena too intimidating enough to throw them off their game. Tonight’s win in San Francisco was the 10th win for the Timberwolves on the road the last two postseasons, the most in the NBA during that span. This win also moved the Timberwolves to a 4-1 on the road these playoffs, a shocking record when considering that Minnesota came into the playoffs as the 6th seed.
Final Thoughts
The Warriors championship hopes now hinge on Curry being able to pass his re-evaluation to play in Game 5 on Wednesday. If Curry is able to go for the Warriors, then their chances of coming back in the series increase substantially. However, an amped Timberwolves crowd could give Minnesota all the juice they need to close out the Warriors and advance to their second straight Western Conference finals. Can the championship pedigree of the Warriors save them from elimination yet again? We will find out in what is sure to be a great Game 5 on Wednesday.
