NBA Playoffs: Edwards, Randle shine as Timberwolves outclass Warriors
Game Four of the series will be played on Monday at Chase Center
SAN FRANCISCO: Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle rose to the occasion in clutch moments to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 102-97 win over the Golden State Warriors, giving them a 2-1 advantage in their NBA Western Conference semifinal series at Chase Center on Saturday night.
Despite missing franchise star Stephen Curry and dealing with Draymond Green's foul trouble, the Warriors led for most of the game and held a five-point advantage early in the fourth quarter.
But the Timberwolves stormed back, with Edwards and Randle stepping up under pressure to seal the win.
Edwards delivered a standout performance, scoring 36 points along with four assists and four rebounds. Randle added a triple-double with 24 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds.
Edwards hit a crucial three-pointer with just over six minutes remaining, and Jaden McDaniels followed up with another key three with 3:20 left on the clock.
Randle had a rough start, missing five of his first six shots, but he recovered well, finishing the game shooting 10-of-23 from the field.
"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," he added.
The game remained close throughout. The first quarter ended in a 21-21 tie, and the Warriors led 42-40 at halftime.
They extended their lead slightly in the third quarter, winning it 31-29. However, the Timberwolves dominated the fourth, outscoring Golden State 33-24 to close out the game.
Jimmy Butler led the scoring for the Warriors with 33 points, adding seven assists and seven rebounds. Jonathan Kuminga contributed 30 points off the bench. However, without Curry—sidelined due to a hamstring injury—the Warriors struggled to find their usual rhythm.
"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."
It is pertinent to mention that the Game Four of the series will be played on Monday at Chase Center.
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