NBA: Timberwolves tie playoff series vs Steph Curry-less Warriors
May 8, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) dribbles the ball past Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) in the first half during game two of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
MINNEAPOLIS —The Minnesota Timberwolves were stewing over their rough start in Game 1 against Golden State, a reaction coach Chris Finch was pleased to see.
Julius Randle had 24 points and 11 assists to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves through another uneven performance, this time capitalizing on Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry’s absence in a 117-93 victory on Thursday that tied the NBA second-round playoff series at one game apiece.
READ: NBA: Stephen Curry knows patience required with hamstring injury
The foundation was laid in an ornery film session with Finch and his staff the day before.
“He was unhappy, and he let us know he was unhappy, and we felt that,” Randle said. “We were pretty motivated as a team.”
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) drives to the basket around Golden State Warriors defenders during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Minneapolis. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Anthony Edwards finished with 20 points after an injury scare for the Timberwolves, who more than tripled their 3-point output (going 16 for 37) from their Game 1 loss when Curry was sidelined by a left hamstring strain that likely will keep him out at least until next week.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 20 points to spearhead a superb performance by the bench, combining with Donte DiVincenzo and Naz Reid to go 10 for 22 from deep.
“We looked a lot more like ourselves,” Finch said.
WOLVES EVEN SERIES BEHIND BALANCED ATTACK 🐺
Randle: 24 PTS | 11 AST | 7 REB
Ant: 20 PTS | 9 REB | 5 AST | 3 STL
NAW: 20 PTS | 4 3PM
McDaniels: 16 PTS | 3 STL | 3 BLK#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google pic.twitter.com/hf5nVjwQrJ— NBA (@NBA) May 9, 2025
Jonathan Kuminga (18 points) and Trayce Jackson-Davis (15 points) combined to shoot 14 for 17 from the floor for the Warriors, who took nearly five minutes to score until Jimmy Butler’s 3-pointer stopped the 13-0 run by the Timberwolves to start the game.
With the NBA’s career leading 3-point shooter next to him on the bench, coach Steve Kerr used a kitchen-sink experiment with 14 players getting time.
“But I would still like to win,” Butler said. “I think the biggest lesson is don’t start off in a hole like we did tonight, and the game maybe could have ended up a little bit differently.”
Kuminga, the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft who dropped out of the rotation at times during the regular season, was a bright spot off the bench. But this Warriors team was already thin on offense with a healthy Curry.
“We have to figure out what we’re going to be able to do in this series without Steph,” Kerr said. “So we gave a lot of people a lot of chances, and some guys really stepped up.”
Against the Timberwolves and their athletic, long and versatile defense, there wasn’t much to lean on. Without Curry to worry about, the Timberwolves had an easier time keeping shooters Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski quiet and the smooth and savvy Butler in check.
The Warriors put up their lowest first-quarter score (15) in the playoffs since Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals, according to Sportradar, when they had 11 in a loss to Cleveland.
Draymond Green picked up his fifth technical foul of the playoffs, two short of an automatic one-game suspension, for elbowing Naz Reid after Reid had just fouled him.
Green was hot about the call, continuing to shout at official Tony Brothers during the timeout at risk of getting a second one. Curry was concerned enough about his pal getting ejected that he went over to the scorer’s table to try to talk Green down and walk him back to the bench.
