Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr offered a candid assessment following his team’s 117-110 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4, placing the defending effort and offensive limitations under the spotlight.
Kerr acknowledged the turning point came in the third quarter, where Anthony Edwards sparked a 17-0 run that blew the game open.
“Well, Ant got going,” Kerr said postgame. “We decided to go to a bigger lineup… just to try to slow them down… obviously, it didn’t work.”
The Timberwolves outscored the Warriors 39-17 in the third, converting wide-open threes as Golden State’s defense broke down.
“They went 16 for 34 from three,” Kerr noted. “We got disconnected defensively and they got wide open looks.”
Without Stephen Curry, who missed his third straight game with a left hamstring strain, Kerr admitted the team’s shot quality has suffered.
“The series changed with Steph’s injury,” he explained. “Everybody’s shots are going to be more difficult.”
When asked if Curry could override a medical decision and return if he felt ready, Kerr replied, “There’s a possibility he would be overruled,” and confirmed an update will come Wednesday.
The team shot just 7-of-27 from beyond the arc, and Kerr pointed to limited spacing as a key factor.
“We’re playing some lineups that don’t have a ton of spacing… by necessity,” he said. “Without Steph, the game changes, and we have to adapt.”
Jimmy Butler, who took 26 shots in Game 3, was limited to nine attempts in Game 4.
“He wasn’t as aggressive tonight,” Kerr said. “Ideally, we could put more shooting around him… but with Steph out, we’re not going to be able to do as much of that.”
The Warriors have dropped three straight and now face elimination in Game 5 on the road.
Despite the loss, Kerr praised Draymond Green’s intensity and the late efforts of younger players, hinting at possible rotation changes ahead.
“We’ve got to look at Game 5 and see if we want to make any lineup changes,” he said. “Those guys will both be ready.”
Kerr also lauded Edwards’ development, crediting his work with USA Basketball and his interactions with Curry over the summer.
“It’s a natural progression,” he said. “His shooting has dramatically improved, volume-wise, percentage-wise.”
The Warriors will travel to Minneapolis ahead of Wednesday’s do-or-die contest, still uncertain if Curry will be available.
“We’ve got a flight to Minneapolis tomorrow and a chance to extend the series,” Kerr said. “That’s the plan.”
