The Golden State Warriors are grappling with a pattern of struggling to close out games, a problem coach Steve Kerr acknowledged after their narrow 119-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. In their first five games of the season, the Warriors have held double-digit leads in the fourth quarter on three occasions, but have not secured a perfect record in those contests.
Despite building a 24-point advantage midway through the second half against the Timberwolves, Golden State's lead dwindled to 11 points with just over two minutes remaining. This near-collapse followed a similar scenario on Friday, where the Warriors relinquished a 17-0 run by the Memphis Grizzlies after holding a 106-94 lead with 3:41 left.
"We didn’t do a good job closing, but … I kind of liked what happened," Kerr stated. "Because we need to learn from it." The team improved its record to 2-3 with the win, avoiding a 2-4 start that would have matched their worst since the 2007-08 season.
Stephen Curry expressed a mixture of relief and recognition of the team's shortcomings. "There’s still an understanding that the Memphis game in the second half, tonight mostly in the fourth quarter, we know we can play better," he said. The Timberwolves, playing without Anthony Edwards, were unable to complete the comeback that the Grizzlies had achieved.
The Warriors' struggles in the latter stages of games were evident when their lead shrunk to 116-112 with 45 seconds left, following a series of turnovers. The momentum shift began earlier in the third quarter when a rapid succession of four turnovers in just over two minutes allowed the Timberwolves to narrow the deficit. "We smelled blood in the water," Kerr commented on the Warriors' play during that stretch. "We thought we needed to make great plays, spectacular plays, in order to extend it to 30, instead of just making solid plays."
The game became a high-paced contest, favoring the more athletic Timberwolves, a stark contrast to the Warriors' usual style of play. This was exacerbated by Minnesota hitting 10 second-half three-pointers compared to just one by Golden State.
"I think a lot of it is just getting organized offensively where you’re using the other team’s desperation and pressure against them," Curry observed. "It seems like we kind of get playing on our heels a little bit. Then you’re just kind of hoping and wishing shots go in."
Despite their veteran experience, the Warriors are also integrating new offensive strategies and player roles, which may contribute to these late-game issues. "You like learning lessons while you’re winning. A 2-1 road trip — that’s a step in the right direction," Curry added, acknowledging the need for improvement while recognizing the progress made on the recent road trip.