Timberwolves Falter Late Against Warriors: A Tale of Missed Opportunities
The Minnesota Timberwolves suffered a gut-wrenching loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, squandering a remarkable comeback effort.
Despite trailing by as many as 24 points, the Wolves clawed their way back into things, only to fall short in the final moments due to defensive lapses and poor execution on the glass.
A tangible example of the Timberwolves’ ongoing issues
The game’s closing minutes were a microcosm of the Wolves’ season-long struggles. With the score tied and just over a minute remaining, a communication breakdown between Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid left Stephen Curry wide open in the corner. The Warriors’ sharpshooter made them pay, draining a crucial three-pointer to put Golden State ahead.
On the ensuing possession, the Wolves managed to cut the lead to one, but a series of mistakes in the final seconds sealed their fate. Edwards failed to box out Andrew Wiggins on a missed free throw and Rudy Gobert’s box-out on Kevon Looney wasn’t strong enough, allowing Looney to tap the ball to an open area of the floor where Wiggins corralled it. A full four seconds ticked off the clock before the Wolves fouled Steph Curry, leaving them down four points with only 6.1 seconds remaining after the future Hall-of-Famer drained a pair of free throws to effectively seal the game.
The loss was particularly frustrating given the Wolves’ impressive second-half performance. After a disastrous first quarter that saw them fall behind 34-12, Minnesota outscored Golden State in each of the remaining periods. Donte DiVincenzo led the charge with 28 points, including several clutch baskets down the stretch, going toe-to-toe with Curry.
Defensive rebounding and transition defense continue to be areas of concern for the Wolves. In this game, most of the issues were confined to the first quarter — but they put the Wolves in a massive hole that they had to spend the final 36 minutes digging out of. The Warriors capitalized on Minnesota’s nine turnovers, converting them into an astounding 22 points. This efficiency in transition, combined with the Wolves’ inability to secure defensive rebounds, proved to be the difference in a tightly contested game.
Upcoming schedule only gets more difficult for the Timberwolves
Looking ahead, the Wolves face a challenging stretch of games, including back-to-back contests against the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers. With the schedule only getting tougher, Minnesota must address their late-game execution and defensive intensity to stay competitive in the Western Conference playoff race.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Wolves’ loss to the Warriors, tune into the Locked On Wolves podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Wolves Podcast:
• Chris Finch’s role in the team’s slow starts
• Naz Reid’s strong performance off the bench
• The impact of Donte DiVincenzo’s aggressive play style
