Warriors instant analysis: Golden State overpowered by Wolves as stars sit

MINNEAPOLIS – The stars were in the building for a primetime showdown between the Warriors and Timberwolves on Monday night in Minneapolis. 

But unfortunately for the paying customers who watched at Target Center, those big names were also spectators watching in street clothes.

The Warriors were without most of their top players. Steph Curry (knee inflammation) and Draymond Green (back) were held out after being questionable earlier in the day.

Without their best players – and several others – the Warriors fell to the Timberwolves 108-83 while suiting up only 10 players. 

Gui Santos had his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Brandin Podziemski had 12 points and seven rebounds. In his first extended playing time with Golden State, two-way player Malevy Leons scored six points and grabbed four rebounds in nine minutes.

Julius Randle scored 18 for the Wolves, while Rudy Gobert put up 15 points and 16 rebounds. 

Adding onto the wear-and-tear element was that Monday’s game was a back-to-back, one caused by Saturday’s matchup being postponed to Sunday after a federal immigration agent shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday morning. 

Thus, De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford, both key figures off the bench, were in street clothes on the second night of a back-to-back. Jonathan Kuminga was still out with a knee injury, while Jimmy Butler has been lost for the season with an ACL tear. 

Meanwhile, Wolves superstar Anthony Edwards was ruled out with a right foot injury. 

The Timberwolves ended the second quarter on a 21-6 run to take a 53-38 lead into halftime. The undersized Warriors struggled to contain a lineup of Julius Randle, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert – all taller than 6-foot-8. The Timberwolves outrebounded Golden State 56-44. 

Minnesota led 75-57 in the third quarter and then salted away the win in the fourth.

Golden State (26-22) will play in Utah on Wednesday to finish up a four-game road trip. 

New roles, rough results

With Curry and Melton out, the lead ballhandling duties fell upon Podziemski, who has been an underrated scorer for the Warriors and a dependable 39% shooter from behind the arc. 

But he has thrived as a secondary ballhandler next to the Warriors’ more dynamic guards, not as someone who is bringing the ball up the court on most possessions. 

Podziemski wasn’t the only perimeter player asked to do more than usual. Teammates Will Richard, Moses Moody and Buddy Hield, nominally shooting guards, also fit into that bucket. 

Richard and Moody tried their hands at Butler-style pullup jumpers, and Hield handled the ball a tad more than Kerr would have probably liked. Santos let 13 shot attempts fly, including 1-of-6 from behind the arc. 

The result was 19 turnovers and just 34% shooting from the field. 

Spencer’s clock is ticking

Spencer may be an effective sometime-starter for the Warriors, but he is also a man who is also running out of games he can play for the Warriors. 

The third-year guard out of Northwestern is on a two-way contract, which limits him to only 50 games he can be active with the Warriors. He played his 46th on Monday night, and Kerr has expressed a desire to find a way to keep him on the team. 

The only way the Warriors can keep Spencer on the roster is if they clear up a spot for him on the 15-man roster. He would hit his 50th game played on Feb. 5 in Phoenix, which just so happens to be the NBA trade deadline.