1-1 equalizer! The Warriors struggle dilemma: Pray for Curry to return + look for Butler system?

In the NBA playoff Western Conference semifinals, the Warriors lost to the Timberwolves 93-117, and the Wolves successfully tied the series to 1-1.

In fact, there were signs of a home victory in the Timberwolves. Stephen Curry left the game with a strained left leg hamstring in the second quarter of the series G1. Although he was led by Butler and Hilder and won the first victory, it was really hard-won.

Although Warriors coach Steve Cole conducted a large-scale rotation test in G2 to break the deadlock, he sent 14 people to the first half to try to reconstruct Curry's offensive system, it is obvious that Curry's importance is irreplaceable.

In the second quarter, after Hilder scored a three-pointer, he chased the gap to 7 points, which was their most promising opportunity in this game, but obviously, the Timberwolves would not give the Warriors the possibility of raising momentum.

In the regular season, when Curry was absent, the winning rate of the Warriors had reached the bottom, and even the three-pointers that depended on for their living fell out of the pass rate. This game was particularly obvious. The Warriors made 9 of 31 three-pointers, with a shooting percentage of 29%, which was in sharp contrast to the Timberwolves' 15 of 36 shots and a shooting percentage of 41.7%.

Among them, Green's struggle performance of 1 of 6 completely illustrates what Cole said about the Warriors' "offensive system collapsed."

In the G2 game, the Warriors lacked tactical core and the offensive system encountered structural challenges. The Timberwolves were also very clear about this, so in the G2 game, the Timberwolves never gave the Warriors a chance.

The Warriors now have only two options. The first is to pray for Curry to return, and the second is to find Butler's adaptive combination.

Curry's injury and Edwards' injury. In the

game, the Warriors were filled with a breath of "despair" and there were constant small episodes.

Green was judged to be a technical foul for a strong three-pointer in the face for a strong shot. According to the rules, the total number of 7 times will trigger an automatic ban. This is his fifth skilled foul this season's playoffs.

Cole warned this: "He must remain calm. "

Although Green made 3 of 10 shots in 29 minutes, plus or negative value -18, as the team's defensive core, he is still the basic platform of the Warriors in the opponent's series. The Warriors need him to maintain defensive intensity on the verge of suspension, so he cannot be banned.

In addition to this, there are some small episodes. In the second quarter, Anthony Edwards accidentally stepped on his left ankle by the Warriors TJD, and fell to the ground in pain and finally limped away. The fans at the scene stood up and applauded.

At that time, Edwards was scoring 11 points with a 60% shooting percentage, which was the sharpest arrow on the Timberwolves offensive end.

Apparently, if Edwards is on the verge of injury, the Warriors will return to the same starting line as the Timberwolves.

But Edwards was strong and had a stunning willpower. He returned unexpectedly at the opening of the third quarter after a brief treatment in the locker room. The medical team wrapped a thick white bandage on his left ankle, and there was still obvious limp when he moved.

But this young core interpreted the "slight injury but not off the line of fire" with his actions - in the second half, he not only completed three breakthrough dunks, but also made a key mid-range shot in 1 minute and 22 seconds before the final game, helping the team secure the victory.

In the 33-minute fierce battle in the game, he handed in a comprehensive data of 20 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 1 block, and scored 14 points in the second half of the game with injuries.

In the post-match interview, Edwards said lightly: "This is playoff basketball. I will definitely come back unless my ankle is broken." "

The team doctor revealed that the preliminary examination showed no structural damage to the ankle joint, but it was swelling significantly, and it was subject to daily evaluation in the future.

For the Timberwolves, Edwards' minor injury is acceptable, but for Curry, there is no clear time for his injury to come back. Curry admitted in a post-match interview: "There is no clear timetable for his comeback, and the recovery process cannot be accelerated. "

Although the diagnosis of a first-degree strain is not the most serious level, it is particularly difficult for Curry, who has never suffered a hamstring injury. Medical experts analyzed that a first-degree strain usually requires a 7-14-day recovery period, which means Curry may miss the entire semi-final stage.

In the close-up of the arena released by US media ClutchPoints, Curry staring at the scoreboard caused heated discussion - the silence of this historical shooter at this moment is a metaphor for the collapse of the Warriors' offensive system.

It can be said that although the core stars on both sides have experienced injuries, their lives and severity are different, which may lead to different results in the team.

Timberwolves have initially revealed their "victory aura".

The Warriors' Butler adaptation combination is difficult to find, but the Timberwolves have made a surprise move.

The defeat undoubtedly exposed the Warriors' excessive reliance on the superstar system. After the game, according to ESPN reporter Keerthika Uthayakumar, the Warriors have made a total of 15 offensive violations in the playoffs this season, with the most in the league.

9 of them appeared in this round of series and contributed 3 more times tonight.

Obviously, the team lost Curry and the offensive end has stalled, but there is no time to lament these complex and deep problems. What the Warriors need most now is to find a suitable starting combination around Butler to deal with the series.

Jonathan Coominga got a chance to play, indicating that Cole is also trying any option. His performance of 8 of 11 shots and scoring 18 points and 5 rebounds was praised by Cole: "He proves the value of development league experience. "

The third-year forward's 67% two-point shooting percentage (7 of 8 shots) provides the Warriors with a scarce breakthrough injury.

When he was on the court, the team scored a +7 net score. Although he is similar to Butler's technical and tactical characteristics, he benefits from his offensive skills. His forward combination with Butler may be an important direction for Cole's future adjustments. The Timberwolves' adjustments in terms of

are much more stable than the Warriors, and Alexander Walker's explosion is the turning point of the game.

Scored 20 points from G1's 0-of-3 shots to 7 of 13 shots in this game (4 of 6 three-pointers). The firepower adjustment of the substitute guard completely evolved the Timberwolves' bench.

Timberwolves are also better at substitutes.

With the arrival of G3, the Warriors have many questions: how to develop and replace Curry's firepower output that averages nearly 30 points per game, how to control Green's emotional fluctuations, and how to crack the Timberwolves' defensive rotation.

Although the series is 1-1, in fact, the Warriors are in a difficult situation. If they cannot find an outside solution within 48 hours, they will fall into a desperate situation of falling behind 1-3.