Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves on Verge of Eliminating Warriors

With Stephen Curry sidelined with a hamstring injury he suffered in the first quarter of Game 1, the pressure has been squarely on the Timberwolves to take care of business against this shorthanded Warriors team. Monday’s win was a crucial step as Minnesota pushes for its second consecutive trip to the Western Conference Finals.

Despite their success, the Timberwolves have yet to play to their full potential in this series. They’ve endured extended stretches of low energy and lapses in focus, allowing the undermanned Warriors to remain competitive. However, when it has mattered most — in the second half — the Timberwolves have stepped up, asserted their dominance, and taken control to secure wins.

First-Half Struggles

These second-half surges have been fueled by the team’s star, Anthony Edwards.

That said, Edwards has struggled to find his rhythm early in games. In Game 1 — the Timberwolves’ only loss — he scored just one point in the first half. He followed that with first-half totals of seven and eight points in Games 2 and 3, respectively. On Monday, he showed improvement, putting up 14 points in the first half of Game 4.

Second-Half Dominance

Fortunately for the Timberwolves, Edwards hasn’t let his slow starts carry over into the second half. In Game 3, he exploded for 28 second-half points, leading Minnesota to a comeback victory. On Monday, he took over the third quarter, scoring 16 of his 30 points, helping the Timberwolves build a lead as large as 20 points, ultimately securing the win.

While the Timberwolves have proven dominant after halftime, fans are hoping for a more complete, four-quarter performance in Game 5 on Wednesday. If Minnesota is able to close out the series, they’ll need to be firing on all cylinders in the next round, where their best effort will be essential.