Warriors seek new ‘formula’ to save season: ‘Without Steph, the game changes’

SAN FRANCISCO Warriors coach Steve Kerr has hours to solve the puzzle known as the Timberwolves defense two days to craft a new formula after the effective standard was dashed to pieces minutes into the crew s second-round series with Minnesota Facing a supremely tight time crunch and a daunting - series deficit after the Wolves won Meeting - on Monday night the longtime coach acknowledged that the oft-referenced formula that led Golden State to success in the second half of the season is not replicable with Steph Curry bound to the sideline with a left hamstring strain Without Steph the championship changes and we have to adapt accordingly reported Kerr whose band remained tight-lipped about Curry s status Without the greatest shooter to ever live and the Warriors spiritual heartbeat every aspect of the event has become radically different and far more formidable Openings that Curry once created with his mere presence have been replaced by waiting defenders who were not concerned with Golden State shooters who went -for- from distance in what could have been the gang s final home tournament this season Golden State Warriors Buddy Hield brings the ball downcourt as he s guarded by Minnesota Timberwolves Jaden McDaniels in the second quarter of their NBA Western Conference semifinal tournament at the Chase Center in San Francisco Calif on Monday May Jane Tyska Bay Area News Group Draymond Green chided his teammates part of an eight-man rotation aside from the garbage time lineup for passing up open shots for better shots that never materialized When you ve got Steph out there you can turn down looks because you can go and play on the backside and he creates so multiple causes so several dominos to fall Green noted But when he s not you turn down that first open look and then go looking for something else and it may not open up again Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski the Warriors two best non-Curry shooters were a cold -for- from the field on Monday while passing up open looks and the Warriors have now lost three consecutive playoff games for the first time since they blew a - series lead to Cleveland in the NBA Finals Without Curry s steady hand at point guard the Warriors have used Jimmy Butler Podziemski and even Green as a floor general That lack of a traditional playmaker Kerr has publicly stated multiple times that Podziemski is not a natural point guard demonstrated up in the disastrous third quarter that saw the Warriors endure a - Timberwolves run that blew open the meeting We just need to be more organized get to our spots and our space and we ll be able to number Kevon Looney commented Minnesota Timberwolves Nickeil Alexander-Walker celebrates in the second quarter of their NBA Western Conference semifinal match against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco Calif on Monday May Jane Tyska Bay Area News Group The Warriors looked anything but organized during that hellish third quarter hounded and harassed by Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves defense and scoring just points as a organization Jaden McDaniels put the clamps on Jimmy Butler who was a shell of his Playoff Jimmy self while battling what Green commented was an illness and a well-publicized sore pelvis Butler took just nine shots and had zero lift or explosion on his drives to the rim a far cry from the man who took shots in Championship The Warriors expect him to be closer to his usual self in Competition He s proven that not only here since we traded for him but over the years he knows what s needed Kerr revealed And I m confident that in Contest he s the ultimate competitor He ll be ready to roll The offense was only half of the difficulty on Monday night The Timberwolves shredded the Warriors from the perimeter making of from the -point line with Julius Randle making of en track to points Minnesota was efficient from inside the arc too shooting of on -point shots Anthony Edwards scored points including three -pointers during the momentous third-quarter run Related Articles Where was Playoff Jimmy when Warriors needed him After an embarrassing Tournament loss only a miracle can save the Warriors Will Warriors get Steph Curry back on brink of elimination in Championship Warriors facing elimination after Timberwolves pull away in Meeting Mavericks defy odds to win NBA draft lottery with Duke s Flagg presumed top pick But it s like every time we re on a run we re letting Ant break the run up Green reported And somebody can break the run up but it can t be their best participant Minnesota grabbed only six offensive rebounds but they hurt against a group with zero margin for error Golden State used a quick tempo and more solid play from Jonathan Kuminga points to jump out to a - lead at halftime Figuring out how to keep the pace of play at a frenzied speed is something the Warriors are focused on as they now face an elimination battle Gotta get loose balls long rebounds Green noted I thought we did a good job pushing the pace for parts of the encounter but if you get loose balls and those long rebounds it ramps it up even more Even if the last three games say otherwise and Curry does not return until Encounter at the earliest the Warriors believe they are capable of devising a new formula and pulling off a comeback from down - As usual it was a Warriors stalwart who reported the organization has what it takes We have belief we have faith Looney commented We ll take it possession by possession quarter by quarter We ve got to put together a full championship not just good minutes of basketball