From leading to collapse: Analysis of the Warriors defeat in the final quarter, Green and Cole are at ease

After four quarters of fierce fighting, the Warriors finally failed to win the Timberwolves at home, and this result is indeed regrettable. If you win this game, the morale of the whole team will surely boost, and you may even take advantage of the victory to get the match point. However, the whole battle failed. Not only did the players inevitably feel depressed, but even as a fan, I was worried. From competitive state, overall strength to physical reserves, the Warriors are already at a disadvantage. In the absence of core players like Curry, it is indeed difficult to reverse the situation in this series. The core reason for the Warriors' defeat in this game is that there is a clear gap between the overall lineup configuration and the Timberwolves. Even if Curry remains healthy, the Warriors are inferior to their opponents in terms of lineup depth, physical talent, player configuration and offense and defense rationality. With its more balanced lineup structure and the athletic ability of young players, the Timberwolves always take the initiative in the game. They were able to achieve good results in the regular season, and it was not a coincidence that they eliminated the Lakers led by James and Doncic in the playoffs. Do we underestimate the strength of the Timberwolves? After winning the first game, many fans even fancied entering the Western Conference Finals without Curry.

In this game, the key turning point in the fourth quarter occurred when Butler was forced to return to the field early. Although the Warriors were leading by six points at that time, Butler's offensive efficiency plummeted due to physical overdraft. He missed consecutive singles, while the Timberwolves took the opportunity to launch an efficient counterattack. This exposed two fatal problems: First, the Warriors rely too much on core players to play singles, especially forward players, only Butler and Kumingga have the ability to score, and lack a backup plan when Butler is exhausted; second, the defensive intensity of the substitute lineup has declined sharply, which cannot delay the opponent's chasing momentum. Butler's fatigue is essentially a microcosm of insufficient lineup thickness. If the Warriors have a more reasonable rotation configuration, they can completely win respite for key players in the decisive stage. There is nothing wrong with relying on Butler. He is the only player in the team who can be called a star, but he is thirty-five and it is difficult to lead the team to create miracles.

The Warriors' role players Moody, Payton II, Podjemsky and Looney performed mediocrely, but considering their salary and positioning, such performance is not surprising. They are functional players and it is difficult to bear the higher requirements for them. What really disappointed the fans was Green. His negative attitude and emotions on the court seriously hurt the team. Six fouls and five turnovers were the data he handed over, especially when Curry was unable to play, he not only failed to provide leadership, but instead became a negative player.

Green made 1 of 4 shots and scored 2 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists, while Pojemsky made 10 shots and scored 5 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists.

The more fatal problem is Cole coaching. After the game, he defended Podjemsky's sluggish performance, saying that if he wins, no one cares about him not scoring, and even praised him for doing a lot of outstanding things. This attitude of avoiding the important and being light is puzzling. Bojiems has no presence on both sides of the field and offense. Not criticizing is already tolerant. How can he talk about praise?

Kor's employing strategy is also the root cause of the Warriors' trouble. Curry's injury was directly caused by excessive fatigue, and the Warriors could have avoided the play-offs and tiebreaks with the Rockets. It was Cole's chaos in rotation at the end of the regular season and slow adjustments on the spot that led to the team playing at least two more high-consuming games. His indecision ultimately cost the core players the price. If only watching this game, Cole didn't make many mistakes, and he really has no one available at hand now. But he trained players for a season, and it seemed that there were no players who grew up. The constant change in the lineup was also a kind of destruction for the players. Time is tight, and the Warriors will have a fourth game with only one day off. Such a short recovery period is a huge test for the players' physical fitness and psychology. It is not realistic to expect Kuminga to break out for the fourth straight game. Butler got forty? The probability is not high. If the Warriors want to win, they must inspire the team's energy, especially the contribution of role players. There is another winner, that is, Green's performance. He must regain the focus of the defensive core and use experience and passion to drive the entire team to improve the defensive intensity. In the exhausted tug-of-war between both sides, whoever can grit their teeth and hold on to the last few minutes will take the initiative. This is no longer a competition at the technical level, but a competition of willpower. The Warriors need to understand that the Timberwolves are equally tired, and the outcome often depends on who pays more attention to details and who is more eager to win.