SAN FRANCISCO – Even with Stephen Curry sidelined and Draymond Green in foul trouble, the Golden State Warriors were ahead by five points in the fourth quarter and felt they had every chance to grab a series lead against the Minnesota Timberwolves at home.
Until Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle took over for the Timberwolves in crunch time.
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Edwards hit a baseline 3-pointer with 1:19 remaining and scored 36 points, Randle had 24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, and the Wolves beat the Warriors 102-97 on Saturday night for a 2-1 lead in their second-round playoff series.
Jimmy Butler had 33 points, seven assists and seven rebounds and Jonathan Kuminga scored 30 off the bench, but the Warriors still lacked the kind of rhythm they have with Curry on the floor.
“Obviously with Steph out there, he demands two to three bodies when he’s out there on the floor,” Butler said. “When he’s not, there’s no room for error. You can’t make mistakes. You can’t turn the ball over. You can’t give back all of those things. And then you’ve got to take the right shots."
Kuminga shot 11 for 18 as the Warriors again mixed and matched while playing without Curry as he nurses a strained left hamstring that he injured early in Game 1 on Tuesday.
Game 4 is Monday night at Chase Center.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr stressed his team had to win with defense — and his team couldn't make the key stops down the stretch.
Edwards, who showed no signs of being hampered after spraining his left ankle in the second quarter of Game 2, knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with 6:16 remaining, while Jaden McDaniels made another key 3 with 3:20 to play.
Randle began 1 for 6 and missed his initial four 3-point tries before connecting 6:30 before halftime to put Minnesota up 39-29 and force a Warriors timeout. He shot 10 for 23.
“We need it all. We needed everything from Julius, his hustle plays,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “Sometimes he does a great job of just kind of chasing down rebounds and stuff like this. We needed it all."
Buddy Hield's 3-pointer with 1:56 left pulled Golden State within 93-89 then McDaniels threw the ball away moments later but the Warriors were sloppy.
Golden State missed all five of its 3-point tries in the first half but still led 42-40, then Hield found some rhythm and scored 14 second-half points.
Draymond Green fouled out with 4:38 to play, whistled for his sixth personal trying to block a shot by McDaniels that appeared questionable on several replay reviews. Green sprinted down the floor to the Warriors bench in frustration then pulled on his warmup jacket and stood with hands on hips.
Trayce Jackson-Davis moved into the Warriors’ starting lineup after he made all six of his field goals and had 15 points and six rebounds in Game 2 but played just 11 minutes.
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