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This series has been centered around speed ever since the early moments of the second quarter in Game 1.
It was during this time that Golden State’s Stephen Curry, a guard, reached for his left hamstring and exited the court at Target Center, while his Warriors held a 30-20 lead over Minnesota in their Western Conference semifinal opener. From that moment, the Timberwolves aimed not just to win and progress but to do so as quickly as possible, working to wrap up this round before Curry could heal enough to make a return.
Conversely, the Warriors’ strategy has been to delay their defeat as much as they can. Realism, rather than cynicism, underscored the fact that their chances of winning significantly diminished with Curry’s injury. A countdown began following the All-Star guard’s MRI assessment the next morning, with a week’s wait until his condition would be medically reassessed.
Only Game 4 stands in the way of Golden State receiving a formal update on their superstar. There’s a chance Curry’s Grade 1 strain may improve enough to allow him to play in Game 5 on Wednesday in Minnesota, where the series might be tied at 2-2 or they could be facing a 3-1 deficit.
However, it’s also possible that Curry’s hamstring might need more time to heal, pushing back his return by several additional days—something this series can accommodate, since Game 6 is scheduled for Sunday. This lengthy gap between games in any NBA playoff series offers a slight reprieve for the Warriors during an otherwise challenging time.
It remains uncertain whether Curry’s leg will cooperate after four extra days of rest and recovery. Still, the Warriors felt optimistic following his smooth practice session before Game 3 on Saturday. There’s been speculation that Golden State might base their decision—whether to rush him back or take it slow—on the outcome of Monday night’s game at Chase Center in San Francisco. If the Warriors manage to tie the series, it would afford Curry an extra 12 days of recuperation. Conversely, if they find themselves facing elimination, he might risk playing on Wednesday, hoping for a heroic comeback reminiscent of Willis Reed in a crucial game.
“If we lose, then we sure don’t need to be concerned about getting Steph back this year,” said Warriors forward Jimmy Butler regarding Game 4.
While that assertion isn’t entirely accurate, it underscores how critical this game at San Francisco’s Chase Center is within the context of a best-of-seven series.
Here are four key points to watch for in Game 4 on Monday (10 ET, ESPN).
In the second halves of the first three games, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards has scored an impressive 69 points on 23-of-36 shooting. If that pace were sustained for a full game, we’d be witnessing something extraordinary: an average of 46.0 points per game on 63.9% shooting. However, his sluggish starts—totaling just 16 points and shooting 5-of-27 in the first halves—have left Minnesota in a state of confusion and scramble at halftime.
A notable adjustment in Game 3 involved placing the ball in forward Julius Randle’s hands more frequently at the beginning of offensive plays, allowing Edwards to move off the ball and making him a tougher target for double teams. This proved effective as Randle recorded the first triple-double of his playoff career, scoring 24 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 12 assists, while committing a manageable four turnovers against the Warriors’ aggressive defense.
With defensive specialist Ron Adams strategizing, the Warriors might present new challenges for Randle on Monday. The best way to counter that would be to keep Edwards active and engaged, with Mike Conley or another player directing the offense, allowing the so-called “next face of the league” to shine for four quarters instead of just the last two.
When asked after Game 2 about handling 43 minutes on the court, Butler reminisced about his younger days in Chicago when coach Tom Thibodeau would often keep him active for the entire 48 minutes. Given that Butler is now 35, such a strategy is likely unsustainable, making his contributions of 33 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists from Saturday more than commendable.
At this moment, survival overshadows sustainability. The statistics are revealing: in the 118 minutes Butler has been on the court, Golden State has outscored Minnesota by 10 points. Conversely, in the 26 minutes he has rested, the Warriors have been outscored by 28.
The Warriors’ approach with Butler and without Curry leans towards being more calculated, physical, and defensively oriented. This reflects Butler’s playing style, and when he’s absent, their game plan tends to falter, regardless of the offensive contributions from talented Jonathan Kuminga coming off the bench.
Draymond Green’s scoring—surprisingly 18 points in the opener, followed by 9 and then just 2—rarely captures the full essence of his influence on games. However, his impact in Saturday’s game was subdued, as he fouled out with 4:36 remaining due to a couple of close calls.
This marked only the fifth time this season, and the second in playoffs, that Green was removed early—not due to any specific actions, but because of defensive plays that resulted in fouls. The Warriors were trailing 85-82 at the time of his sixth foul. Counting the following free throws, Minnesota scored 17 points during the remaining minutes—far too much for a team missing its top scorer and clutch player.
Until Curry’s return, Green’s ability to direct the team and be in the right spots defensively is just as critical as Butler’s role in stepping up as a scorer.
Interestingly, Jaden McDaniels’ contributions usually slip under the radar, overshadowed by the likes of Edwards, defensive stalwart Rudy Gobert, and Randle.
However, it’s fair to say that without McDaniels’ input, this series could easily tilt the other way, potentially even resulting in a 3-0 lead for the Timberwolves. He ranks third on the team in scoring for this series, averaging 14.3 points with an impressive 58.6% shooting, including nine of his eleven total points coming in the fourth quarter of Game 3. Defensively, he has six blocks and four steals against Golden State and boasts the best defensive efficiency among Minnesota’s starters at 103.8 with a +13.8 net rating. Notably, during the “matchup minutes” (14:32) against Butler, “Playoff Jimmy” has managed only three points on 1-of-8 shooting (12.3%).
If he continues to produce such results, McDaniels may soon find himself taking center stage in the narrative instead of lingering in the background.
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Steve Aschburner has covered the NBA since 1980. You can reach him via email here, view his archive here, and follow him on X.
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