Golden State Warriors throwaway another in overtime loss to Timberwolves

The Golden State Warriors recent overtime record has only worsened, crumbling to a 119-114 overtime loss to an undermanned Timberwolves squad in Minnesota on Wednesday.

It was a tail of two halves for the reigning champions — the second-half and overtime was simply a shell of an efficient and balanced group that poured in 72 points during an electric first-half. The Warriors looked on track for a fourth-straight win when they maintained an 11-point lead heading into the final period, but the offensive production only worsened

43 points across the final 29 minutes (including overtime) succumbed the Golden State Warriors to another disastrous road loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The teams largely went back and forth over the first 18 minutes, with Stephen Curry’s 13 points lifting Golden State to a two-point lead by the end of the first. After Minnesota had turned that deficit into a three-point lead halfway through the second, the Warriors closed the half on an 18-6 run to take a 71-62 lead.

Led by Curry’s 21 and 11 each for Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins, Golden State shot 52.4% from the floor and 50% from three-point range. With Minnesota playing without big men Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, the Warriors also got to the line on 20 occasions in the first-half.

Yet after 133 total points in the first-two quarters, it was as if The Monstars stole both teams’ talent at half-time. The Warriors’ offense stagnated into just 22 third-quarter points, but they limited the Timberwolves to just 20 to actually extend the lead.

That grew to 14 before Minnesota stormed back into the contest early in the fourth, producing a 21-6 run to take the lead with more than five minutes still remaining in regulation. After Curry tied the game at 110 with 1:39 remaining, neither team managed to score a point over the last 90 seconds. For the Warriors, that included two missed shots and a turnover in the last minute.

It was the same story again for Golden State in overtime — a complete lack of offensive coordination leading to just four points over the five-minute period. Offensive rebounds began to hurt the Warriors despite the absence of Gobert and Towns, with three of Minnesota’s four baskets in overtime coming off second opportunities.

By the game’s conclusion, Golden State’s shooting percentages had tumbled to 41.8% from the field and 31.4% from three. After 54 points in the first 24 minutes, the quartet of Curry, Thompson, Poole and Wiggins combined for a paltry 23 points over the final 29 minutes.

The Warriors will now have to find a way to regroup from throwing away another game on the road. They’ll have to do it quickly ahead of a matchup with the conference-leading Nuggets in Denver on the second night of a back-to-back.