Warriors admit they have finishing problem after…
MINNEAPOLIS — In 5 video games, the Warriors have held double-digit leads in the fourth quarter thrice. Their profitable proportion in such contests? Well, let’s just say it’s not 1.000.
Golden State went up by 24 halfway early in the second half Wednesday night time against the Timberwolves, still led by 11 with 2:16 to play and still barely hung on to win, 119-114.
And yet, in Steve Kerr’s eyes? It’s all constructive.
“We didn’t do a good job closing, but … I kind of liked what happened,” Kerr said. “Because we need to learn from it.”
Steve Kerr reacts toward a referee during the first half of the Warriors’ 119-114 win over the Timberwolves on Oct. 28, 2026 in Minneapolis. AP Photo/Abbie Parr
Golden State also led 106-94 with 3:41 left this past Friday against the Grizzlies. In that one, the Warriors’ offense went comatose and they allowed Memphis to mount a 17-0 run to steal a win.
So, you could possibly say they’re making progress, at least.
The Grizzlies loss dropped them to 0-3, their worst start since 2007-08. They risked returning home 2-4, off a 1-2 highway journey, as they watched Minnesota cut their 24-point lead down to 4.
“There’s a slight bit of relief,” Steph Curry said of bettering to 2-3 on the season after their poor start, “but there’s still an understanding that the Memphis game in the second half, tonight mostly in the fourth quarter, we know we can play better.”
The Timberwolves, lacking Anthony Edwards, weren’t ready to pull off the same stunner that Memphis did. But they put up enough of a struggle to set off alarm bells in the Warriors locker room.
The closest they obtained got here after a sloppy offensive possession that ended in a missed 3 from Curry, permitting Jonathan Kuminga to set up Ayo Dosunmu for a 3 on the other end.
Dosunmu’s triple cut the Warriors’ lead to 116-112 with 45 seconds left.
But the sport started to flip long before that.
Steph Curry seems to be to get possession of the ball during the second half of the Warriors’ highway win over the Timberwolves. AP Photo/Abbie Parr
Curry obtained to the road for two of his eventual 16 free throws to put Golden State up 73-50 a little less than 3 minutes into the third quarter. Then Draymond Green threw the ball away, Yaxel Lendeborg obtained his pocket picked twice in three possessions and Curry stepped out of bounds.
Four turnovers in a span of barely more than 2 minutes of gametime. Kerr had seen enough after TJ Shannon turned the last one into 3 factors on the other end, making it 73-53.
“We smelled blood in the water,” Kerr said. “We thought we needed to make great plays, spectacular plays, in order to extend it to 30, instead of just making solid plays.”
The margin never reached 30. Minnesota scored 64 of the ultimate 110 factors.
Steph Curry shoots a free throw during the Warriors’ highway win over the Timberwolves. NBAE via Getty Images
“We let them off the hook when we were up 73-50 with all those turnovers. The whole game changed right then at that point,” Kerr said. “That’s when it got wild and crazy.”
The Warriors have historically thrived in chaos. That’s not their plan anymore. The recreation turned into a observe meet. Advantage: the youthful and more athletic Timberwolves.
It was a different method than the Memphis recreation, when Zach Edey and Grizzlies wolfed up offensive rebounds that negated good defensive possessions, and the Warriors couldn’t buy a bucket, despite getting the photographs they needed.
In this case, the Warriors allowed Minnesota to impose its most well-liked fashion of play. It didn’t help that the Timberwolves drained 10 second-half 3s to just one by the Warriors.
Yaxel Lendeborg seems to be to make a moved during the Warriors’ highway victory over the Timberwolves. NBAE via Getty Images
“I think a lot of it is just getting organized offensively where you’re using the other team’s desperation and pressure against them,” Curry said. “It seems like we kind of get playing on our heels a little bit. Then you’re just kind of hoping and wishing shots go in.”
There are two methods to look at it: On the one hand, the Warriors are the single-most veteran staff in the NBA, and that make-up ought to have no problem closing out video games.
On the other, Golden State is also implementing a new manner of doing issues offensively and integrating a few gamers into new roles. Game 82 ought to look different from Game 5.
“We know we gave that game away to Memphis,” Curry said. “This one was a little more nerve-wracking than it should’ve been. We still have a lot of things to do. You like learning lessons while you’re winning. A 2-1 road trip — that’s a step in the right direction.”
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