The Golden State Warriors let a crucial Game 3 slip away on their home court Saturday night, falling 102-97 to the Minnesota Timberwolves and trailing 2-1 in the series. With Steph Curry sidelined by a hamstring injury, Golden State entered the fourth quarter with a lead—but a late collapse now leaves their playoff hopes hanging by a thread.
Jimmy Butler, who has stepped up as the Warriors’ primary offensive option in Curry’s absence, didn’t sugarcoat the urgency of the situation after the game.
“It’s always about getting the win,” Butler said. “If we don’t win, we damn sure don’t have to worry about getting Steph back this year. We gotta put our big boy pants on and go out there and compete at a high level.”
Warriors Struggle Without Their Star
Butler logged a team-high 43 minutes, pouring in 33 points on 12-of-26 shooting, along with seven rebounds and seven assists. Despite his effort, the Warriors were outscored 33-24 in the final quarter. Jonathan Kuminga delivered a breakout performance with 30 points off the bench, but only Buddy Hield (14 points) joined him in double figures.
Draymond Green’s foul trouble didn’t help. The veteran forward picked up his sixth foul early in the fourth, leaving the Warriors without one of their key defensive anchors in crunch time.
Golden State hasn’t won since Curry exited Game 1 with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. His absence has exposed the team’s lack of offensive depth and made every possession in this series even more critical.
Butler on Playing Without Curry: “No Room for Error”
As the Warriors look ahead to a must-win Game 4, Butler emphasized the slim margin for mistakes when their floor general is off the court.
“Obviously, with Steph out there, he demands two to three bodies,” Butler explained. “When he’s not, there’s no room for error. You can’t make mistakes. You can’t turn the ball over. You’ve got to take the right shots and do all the little things right.”
Game 4 becomes a do-or-die scenario for Golden State. A loss would push the Timberwolves to a 3-1 lead heading back to Minnesota—where Steph Curry might be cleared to return for Game 5. But that only matters if the Warriors can keep the series alive.
For now, Jimmy Butler and company will have to dig deep and find a way to win without their franchise player—because if they don’t, Curry’s return might not matter at all.