The Golden State Warriors were blown away against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 and will have to make some changes.
The Golden State Warriors managed to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 despite Stephen Curry leaving before halftime with a hamstring injury. In Game 2, the team seemed to miss the best players, losing 117-93.
Serving curry in at least two games should put Golden State in full panic mode. They have proven playoff performers with Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler, but neither have taken over the game without curry yet.
Butler, known for his “Playoff Jimmy” persona, averages only 18.5 points in two games against Minnesota. Both he and Green are certainly better on the defensive side than the offensive side, but the pair have yet to tap on their defensive skill set against the wolves.
This season, the Timberwolves ranked fifth in the 3-pointers they attempted per game and fourth in the Deep percentage.
However, in Game 1, Dub was given much needed edges as he only had six shots total from Deep. However, their closeouts and boundary defenses are sloppy in Game 2 and go against their identity.
“I don’t want to say Steve Kerr went into search mode last night, but I played 14 players in the first half,” Brian Windhorst explained. “We’ve never seen it in gaming history. They didn’t defend it either.”
This season, the Warriors were seventh in defensive ratings, restraining their opponents to 36.3% fire from behind the arc, making their fifth attempt per game. Against the wolves in Game 2, they looked lost.
“Now you know you’ll lower your attacks without Steph Curry,” Windhorst admitted.
“And the numbers are scary. When Steph Curry plays this postseason, they score 116 points for every 100 possessions. Good.
“When he didn’t play like last night, it’s 93. A devastating drop. When that happens, you have to protect.
“But in this game, I was able to open a 3-pointer, then open a 3-pointer.”
Since 2013, the Warriors’ attacks have been carried out with only curry and curry. As an overlooked facilitator, he coordinates the attack and pours it into the points. Butler, Green and Brandinposiemsky are all solid secondary facilitators, but none of them have a long track record of taking on or putting load on their own.
It is what they know about their defense, along with Gary Payton II and Moses Moody. As a unit, they were elite all season. If curry is served in the next two games, there is no room for lapse. Golden State needs to dial in on either side of the ball, hoping their offense is good enough.
If the series is tied up in two games and curry returns in Game 5, if it appears that it makes sense to move to the bay in two games, then the Butler, Green and the rest can pat on the back and give off offensive responsibility to one of the greatest scorers of all time.
They need to win at least one game for it to happen.
