MINNEAPOLIS – With the season on the brink of collapse against the host Timberwolves, Warriors coach Steve Kerr emptied the playbook and bench on Wednesday night at Target Center.
He used 11 different players in the first 13 minutes of Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal, mixing and matching combinations in search of success against a Timberwolves squad that featured two stars in their prime.
But the most important piece of the Golden State puzzle remained on the bench in street clothes with a left hamstring injury for the fourth straight game.
Without Steph Curry, the Warriors did not have the firepower to force a Game 6 and extend their season, dropping their fourth game in a row in a 121-110 setback. According to Sportradar, the Warriors hadn’t lost four straight games in a single postseason since 1972.
After making five consecutive Finals appearances from 2015 to 2019, Golden State has now failed to advance past the second round for the third straight year since winning the Finals in 2022.
Minnesota will play in its second consecutive Western Conference Finals, against either the Denver Nuggets or Oklahoma City Thunder.
Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 28 points, and Jonathan Kuminga threw in 26 in what could be the restricted free agent’s last game in a Warriors uniform. Jimmy Butler had had 17 points in 42 minutes. Julius Randle scored 29 for the Wolves, and Anthony Edwards scored 22 points with 12 assists and seven rebounds.
The Warriors trailed by as many as 25 points in the second half, but the Golden State reserves made things interesting down the stretch.
Led by Gui Santos and Moses Moody, the Warriors cut the deficit to nine with seven minutes left. Edwards sat on the bench for much of the Warriors’ run.
But Golden State would get no closer, with the Wolves keeping their opponents at bay and closing out the series in five games.
The Warriors stayed within reasonable striking distance of Minnesota until late in the second quarter. After Draymond Green scored five points to cut the deficit to just six with 2:20 left in the half, the Wolves closed the quarter on a 9-0 run fueled by a Randle dunk and and-1 layup. Minnesota led 62-47 at the half.
It was 93-72 with just 12 minutes left to play. The in-house DJ even did some light trolling, blasting Bay Area anthem “Blow the Whistle” multiple times.
The Warriors got back into the game, but without Curry, did not receive the final push they needed to complete the comeback.
The game did not start well for the visitors.
The Warriors allowed the Wolves to shoot 60% from the field in the first quarter and lead 30-23, with Rudy Gobert scoring eight, six of those points coming on lob dunks out of the pick and roll.
Kerr started the second quarter with Pat Spencer and Quinten Post being complemented by Buddy Hield, trying to jumpstart the offense at the expense of getting stops.
The Warriors put up points but they also gave them up in bunches as Mike Conley turned back the clock and scored eight points in the frame.