Warriors struggle again to stop Timberwolves stars Edwards and Randle
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, center right, looks to shoot against Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney, center left, during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) gestures to the referee during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Golden State Warriors, Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) shoots against Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) drives to the basket against Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, left, during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) drives to the basket against Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, left, during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, center right, looks to shoot against Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney, center left, during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) gestures to the referee during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Golden State Warriors, Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) shoots against Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) drives to the basket against Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, left, during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Anthony Edwards shook both hands at his sides in celebration after knocking down his second consecutive 3-pointer over a 33-second span midway through the third quarter as the Minnesota Timberwolves took over and ran away from the Golden State Warriors.
No matter the matchup, Edwards is having his way with Golden State's defense. And Julius Randle, too.
Advertisement
Coach Steve Kerr keeps stressing how if the Warriors are going to win their playoff series against the T-Wolves it will be because of defense. That defense isn't getting it done, and the Warriors lost 117-110 on Monday night for a second straight home defeat at Chase Center. They now face a 3-1 deficit in the best-of-seven Western Conference series and will try to stave off elimination heading back to Minneapolis for Game 5 on Wednesday.
Edwards and Randle each shot 11 for 21 and they combined for 10 3-pointers as the Timberwolves went 16 of 34 from long range.
Randle routinely made it look easy going to the basket in Game 4, then Edwards lit up the scoreboard by scoring 11 points in a 17-0 third-quarter surge.
That 1-2 punch is more than Golden State can handle, especially without an injured Stephen Curry on the floor keeping everything together. Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green can't do it all themselves.
Advertisement
Coming off a triple-double in a 102-97 Game 3 win, Randle had 31 points — 19 of those by halftime. He shot 10 of 23 for 24 points in Game 3 after scoring 18 and 24 the first two games.
Slowing down Edwards was just as important for the Warriors, who held the dynamic guard to making five of 14 shots in the first half Monday two days after he went off for 36 points while making 13 of 28 shots with five 3-pointers.
But Edwards' 3 to beat the halftime buzzer Monday pulled Minnesota within 60-58 at the break and gave the Wolves momentum.
He split two defenders in the key for a floating jumper and three-point play at the 7:45 mark of the third quarter, then hit consecutive 3-pointers on his way to six made 3s.
Before the game, Kerr specifically mentioned Edwards and Randle.
'We've got to figure out a way to slow them down," he said, 'especially late.'
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
12 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Cubs legend Sammy Sosa returns to Wrigley Field after 20-plus year hiatus
CHICAGO (AP) — Legendary Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the first time in more than 20 years on Friday before Chicago's afternoon game with the Seattle Mariners. Sosa, who is set to be inducted into the Cubs' team Hall of Fame this year, arrived at the iconic North Side ballpark in a black SUV. He was greeted by owner Tom Ricketts, who embraced him in a hug as he exited the vehicle. Sosa became the face of the Cubs franchise where he played 13 seasons after coming in a trade from the crosstown White Sox in March 1992. A seven-time All-Star, Sosa hit 545 homers in 1,811 games with the Cubs and hit a franchise-record 66 in 1998 when he was named the NL's MVP. Sosa, now 56, played his final game with the Cubs at Wrigley on Oct. 2, 2004, when he homered and had two hits in an 8-6 loss to Atlanta. During his years with the Cubs, Sosa appeared to bulk up drastically and was a headliner in a generation of baseball's biggest names linked to performance-enhancing drugs. The Cubs traded him to Baltimore with cash in February 2005 for three players. Sosa appeared to acknowledge using performance-enhancing drugs in December when he released a statement saying he was sorry for mistakes, without specifying them. 'There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games,' he said in the statement. 'I never broke any laws. But in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize.' On Friday morning, Sosa posed for photos with rising Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong outside the team's clubhouse and a video showed Sosa embracing manager Craig Counsell in his office before the game. '(Sosa) saw the wind blowing out today and planned this trip around a good day to be here,' Counsell joked. 'He asked to be in the lineup because the wind's blowing out.' The Cubs remained mum on any ceremony or event before or during Friday's game. In Thursday's 8-7 loss to Milwaukee, Crow-Armstrong went deep to set a new team record for reaching 20 homers and 20-plus stolen stolen bases the fastest, doing it in 73 games. Sosa had the old mark of 96, set in 1994. Counsell, who faced Sosa as a player, saluted the former slugger for his strength at the plate and long homers, as well as star power. 'We're also here to entertain and I think Sammy was great at that.' ___
Hamilton Spectator
25 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Cubs legend Sammy Sosa returns to Wrigley Field after 20-plus year hiatus
CHICAGO (AP) — Legendary Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the first time in more than 20 years on Friday before Chicago's afternoon game with the Seattle Mariners. Sosa, who is set to be inducted into the Cubs' team Hall of Fame this year, arrived at the iconic North Side ballpark in a black SUV. He was greeted by owner Tom Ricketts, who embraced him in a hug as he exited the vehicle. Sosa became the face of the Cubs franchise where he played 13 seasons after coming in a trade from the crosstown White Sox in March 1992. A seven-time All-Star, Sosa hit 545 homers in 1,811 games with the Cubs and hit a franchise-record 66 in 1998 when he was named the NL's MVP. Sosa, now 56, played his final game with the Cubs at Wrigley on Oct. 2, 2004, when he homered and had two hits in an 8-6 loss to Atlanta. During his years with the Cubs, Sosa appeared to bulk up drastically and was a headliner in a generation of baseball's biggest names linked to performance-enhancing drugs. The Cubs traded him to Baltimore with cash in February 2005 for three players. Sosa appeared to acknowledge using performance-enhancing drugs in December when he released a statement saying he was sorry for mistakes, without specifying them. 'There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games,' he said in the statement. 'I never broke any laws. But in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize.' On Friday morning, Sosa posed for photos with rising Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong outside the team's clubhouse and a video showed Sosa embracing manager Craig Counsell in his office before the game. The Cubs remained mum, however, on any ceremony or event before or during Friday's game. In Thursday's 8-7 loss to Milwaukee, Crow-Armstrong went deep to set a new team record for reaching 20 homers and 20-plus stolen stolen bases the fastest, doing it in 73 games. Sosa had the old mark of 96, set in 1994. ___ AP MLB:
Fox Sports
38 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Cubs legend Sammy Sosa returns to Wrigley Field after 20-plus year hiatus
Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Legendary Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the first time in more than 20 years on Friday before Chicago's afternoon game with the Seattle Mariners. Sosa, who is set to be inducted into the Cubs' team Hall of Fame this year, arrived at the iconic North Side ballpark in a black SUV. He was greeted by owner Tom Ricketts, who embraced him in a hug as he exited the vehicle. Sosa became the face of the Cubs franchise where he played 13 seasons after coming in a trade from the crosstown White Sox in March 1992. A seven-time All-Star, Sosa hit 545 homers in 1,811 games with the Cubs and hit a franchise-record 66 in 1998 when he was named the NL's MVP. Sosa, now 56, played his final game with the Cubs at Wrigley on Oct. 2, 2004, when he homered and had two hits in an 8-6 loss to Atlanta. During his years with the Cubs, Sosa appeared to bulk up drastically and was a headliner in a generation of baseball's biggest names linked to performance-enhancing drugs. The Cubs traded him to Baltimore with cash in February 2005 for three players. Sosa appeared to acknowledge using performance-enhancing drugs in December when he released a statement saying he was sorry for mistakes, without specifying them. 'There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games,' he said in the statement. 'I never broke any laws. But in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize.' On Friday morning, Sosa posed for photos with rising Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong outside the team's clubhouse and a video showed Sosa embracing manager Craig Counsell in his office before the game. The Cubs remained mum, however, on any ceremony or event before or during Friday's game. In Thursday's 8-7 loss to Milwaukee, Crow-Armstrong went deep to set a new team record for reaching 20 homers and 20-plus stolen stolen bases the fastest, doing it in 73 games. Sosa had the old mark of 96, set in 1994. ___ AP MLB: recommended
