Minnesota Claims 3-1 Series Lead With Gritty Chase Center Win

The Minnesota Timberwolves (3-1) tightened their grip on the Western Conference semifinals with a 102-97 road victory over the Golden State Warriors (1-3) in Monday's pivotal Game 4. Anthony Edwards' playoff career-high 36 points, paired with Julius Randle's triple-double (24/10/12), offset Jimmy Butler's 33-point effort for the short-handed Warriors.

Game-Changing Performances

Wolves' Young Star Shines

Edwards' signature moment came with 7:24 remaining in the third quarter - a posterizing dunk over 2022 All-Defensive selection Kevon Looney that shifted momentum. The 22-year-old guard then buried five three-pointers, including back-to-back 27-footers during Minnesota's 14-2 closing run.

Warriors' Depth Tested

Golden State's makeshift lineup saw breakout contributions from Jonathan Kuminga (30 points) and steady shooting from Buddy Hield (4/8 3PT). However, the Warriors' 42% fourth-quarter field goal percentage and 8 turnovers in clutch time proved costly without their two-time MVP.

Critical Turning Points

• Q3 8:11: Draymond Green's ejection after second technical foul
• Q4 3:48: Edwards' stepback three over Kuminga (97-92)
• Q4 1:09: Randle's chase-down block on Butler fastbreak

Injury Fallout & Tactical Shifts

Stephen Curry's ongoing absence (hamstring strain) forced Steve Kerr to deploy 11 different rotations. Minnesota capitalized by:

• Holding Warriors to 11 fastbreak points (series-low)
• Limiting corner three attempts to 9 (down from 17.3 avg)
• Forcing 18 turnovers via aggressive hedge-and-recover scheme

Series Implications

The Warriors now face elimination heading into Wednesday's Game 5 at Target Center. Key factors to watch:

• Curry's potential Game 6 return timeline
• Minnesota's 23-4 record when Randle records triple-double
• Warriors' 0-9 playoff record when trailing 3-1 since 2016