When Rudy Gobert scores the Wolves' first four points in the first six minutes of a game, it's not necessarily a good sign… Minnesota actually starts the match by putting on a painful spectacle in attack. The Warriors have at least a few artists to put on a 3-point show. Stephen Curry, Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga for example, who took control of the first quarter (15-26).
Deprived of Draymond Green, the Californians hit the nail on the head with a 10-0 lead to start the second quarter. The Wolves take more than six minutes to find their way to the circle! Anthony Edwards misses a dunk, then an easy layup. Steve Kerr's troops are hardly any more brilliant, but they manage to score 3-pointers from time to time, to give themselves some breathing space (37-50).
You have to wait until the middle of the third act to see Minnesota react. Julius Randle defends more and better and the energy seems to be returning to the group. Mike Conley, Naz Reid, Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards finally manage to score behind the arc and the gap diminishes. Chris Finch's players even sneak past, at a wild end to the quarter, but the Warriors are still in control (75-79).
Like his team, Anthony Edwards shows a better face and his two winning baskets in a row prove it. But the Wolves leave offensive rebounds to the Warriors, who can calmly wait for “money time” to pick this match. Stephen Curry takes care of it with three 3-point baskets in a row. Victory, quite logical overall, for the 2022 champions (103-113).
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– Stephen Curry obviously. He bounced back very well after his completely unsuccessful match against Memphis, without the slightest basket scored. Quite discreet and a little clumsy in this meeting, he patiently waited for the right moment to strike: the last minutes. His three winning baskets in a row killed the Wolves. The 2022 Finals MVP leaves Minneapolis with 31 points and 10 assists.
– A difficult last quarter for a good Rudy Gobert. For long minutes, he was the best offensive player on his team. Which is not a habit, nor good news for Minnesota. The proof: his 18 points are his second mark of the season. Unfortunately, in the last quarter, he narrowly missed. Already, he drops three free throws, and that's always damaging in a close game. Then, Trayce Jackson-Davis often got the better of him and the Warriors were able to grab offensive rebounds. On one of Curry's 3-point baskets, he is also very late on the screen and leaves the playmaker all alone.
– Your identity papers please… Anthony Edwards was complaining about his team's lack of offensive identity at the moment. This match will not reassure him… The first half was catastrophic with 9 lost balls, 27% shooting success and long, very long, too long, minutes without a basket. But the back is also the first concerned: he was at 1/9 on the shoot at the break and finished with an ugly 6/20 on the clock. Clearly, he saved his performance and his statistics a little with his last act and his duel, lost, against Stephen Curry.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
