Warriors Blow Second Half lead to Wolves
The Golden State Warriors could not secure their 70th win, blowing a 17 points lead and falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves in overtime.
The Golden State Warriors have played nearly perfect basketball all season, starting their title defense on a mission to silence all doubters. They were eating souls in December and January yet now, a few weeks before the playoffs, the Warriors are showing signs of faltering as they fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-117 in overtime.
Seventy-three wins, which looked like a the Warriors’ floor just a month ago, is now the ceiling–one that will require Golden State to play perfect ball over their final four games. The Warriors remain stuck at 69 victories, with alternating games left against the San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies.
It was apparent from the beginning that this was going to be a strange game. Stephen Curry took just three shots, missing them all, but dished out six assists early. As he dribbled around the perimeter, often times with Karl-Anthony Towns switching onto him, Curry didn’t look to shoot. He tried to get his teammates involved to varying degrees of success. He either completed his dazzling pass or turned it over. He finished the first half without making a field goal (0-8), only hitting two free throws.
If the league’s leading scorer not looking for his shot wasn’t weird enough, Harrison Barnes finally looked like he’s in a contract year. Barnes finished with 11 points in the first quarter, hitting all four of his three-pointers. He also produced his second best dunk against the Wolves in his career, throwing down a put back slam after a miss. Barnes finished with 20 points.
Curry and the Warriors looked like they finally put it together enough to put the young Wolves away. They built a 17 point lead, largely thanks to the MVP’s quick twelve points in the period. It seemed as if he shook off his poor first half shooting and returned to what we’ve become accustomed to.
The Wolves are tenacious and hungry. Shabazz Muhammad had a career night, scoring 35 points on just 12 shots. Muhammad took advantage of lazy Warriors defense and attacked the rim, drawing fouls. He would shoot 17 free throws to the Warriors’ (as a team) 8. He, along with Towns and Andrew Wiggins, brought their team all the way back into the game, eventually exchanging baskets with Golden State.
Ricky Rubio, 5th pick in 2009 Draft, hounded Curry all night, not giving him much breathing room. He led a Minnesota defense that held the best offensive attack in the NBA scoreless for stretches. The Warriors were out of sync, unable to make passes and cuts they normally do. With time winding down, after Wiggins tied the game, the Warriors didn’t even get a shot off at the end of regulation before the time ran out.
Overtime was all Minnesota as the continued to attack the soft Golden State defense. On the other end of the floor, the Warriors still couldn’t muster any offense. They started the overtime period with a turnover as Curry overthrew a cutting Draymond Green. The Wolves mad plays and the Warriors didn’t.
It was clear that the Warriors weren’t interested and fully engaged from the opening tip. They didn’t get into a rhythm until the third quarter and, when they did, they couldn’t sustain it, allowing a pesky Timberwolves squad to steal it.