SAN FRANCISCO — In a heartbreaker for the home crowd, the Golden State Warriors fell short in a 102-97 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves during Thursday's Western Conference semifinals showdown. With franchise cornerstone Stephen Curry sidelined by a hamstring strain, Jimmy Butler delivered a playoff-career-high 33 points but couldn't close out a game that slipped away in the final minutes.

Butler's Heroic Effort Meets Fourth-Quarter Fatigue
The six-time All-Star carried the Warriors through three quarters, combining relentless drives with uncharacteristic three-point accuracy (4-of-7). His stat line—33 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists—marked a 15-point jump from his postseason average. Yet fatigue appeared to set in during crunch time. From the 8:13 mark of the fourth quarter onward, Butler managed just one field goal as Minnesota's defense swarmed him with double-teams. "We needed stops, and Jimmy needed oxygen," Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted postgame. "Their adjustments took away our safety valve."

Kuminga Shines, Bench Falters
Golden State's 10-point third-quarter lead owed much to 21-year-old Jonathan Kuminga, whose 18-point outburst included two momentum-shifting dunks. However, the Warriors' second unit struggled mightily, combining for 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting. Rookie Brandin Podziemski's seven rebounds provided defensive hustle but couldn't compensate for his 1-of-6 shooting night.

Edwards-Randle Duo Seals Wolves' Comeback
Minnesota countered with a devastating one-two punch. Anthony Edwards erupted for 28 second-half points, capped by a posterizing dunk over Kevon Looney that sent social media into frenzy. Julius Randle's triple-double (24/10/12) made him the first Timberwolf since Kevin Garnett (2004) to achieve the feat in playoffs. "They're playing chess while we're stuck in checkers," Warriors forward Draymond Green lamented about Minnesota's strategic adjustments.

Curry Conundrum Looms Large
Golden State's 38% fourth-quarter shooting laid bare their dependence on Curry's gravitational pull. Team sources remain tight-lipped about his Game 4 status, but the two-time MVP was seen testing his hamstring during morning shootaround. Should he sit again, the Warriors must solve their late-game execution issues. As Butler bluntly stated: "Stats are lies if they don't lead to wins. Period."

What's Next
The series shifts to Minneapolis for Game 4 on Saturday, with Minnesota holding 2-1 edge. While the Timberwolves have momentum, Golden State's championship pedigree—they’re 15-3 in playoff games following losses since 2015—keeps this showdown far from decided.