Timberwolves Fall Flat in Game 1 Loss, and Chris Finch Puts the Spotlight on Anthony Edwards

A Dull Start to a Hyped Series

Minnesota entered the Western Conference semifinals with momentum. But in Game 1 against Golden State, the Timberwolves never got going — even after Stephen Curry exited early due to injury.

The Warriors cruised to a 99-88 win, and head coach Chris Finch didn’t sugarcoat the issue.

“It starts with Ant,” Finch said postgame. “I thought he struggled, and you could just kind of see the light go out a little bit for a while.”

Edwards’ Early Funk Sets the Tone

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota’s go-to scorer, missed his first 10 shots and didn’t score until the third quarter. He finished with 23 points on 9-for-23 shooting — a stat line that looks better than it felt.

From the field, Edwards hit just one of five from deep. As a team, the Wolves were ice cold:

• 0-for-15 from three in the first half
• 5-for-29 overall
• 12-for-76 over their last three playoff games (an NBA record for worst three-game playoff stretch from deep, per ESPN Research)

Warriors Win Ugly — And Minnesota Doesn’t Capitalize

Stephen Curry scored 13 points in 13 minutes before leaving with injury. Yet the Warriors still controlled the game wire-to-wire. Minnesota couldn’t take advantage — especially from beyond the arc — and failed to generate any rhythm offensively.

Julius Randle, brilliant in Round 1, scored just 11 points with three turnovers. Mike Conley went scoreless. Donte DiVincenzo hit only one of seven from deep.

“We can’t hurt ourselves, and we feel like we did that tonight,” said Randle.

Lack of Urgency Draws Finch’s Frustration

Finch wasn’t just upset about missed shots. It was the energy — or lack thereof — that raised red flags.

“If your shot is not going, you still have to carry the energy,” Finch said. “If I’ve got to talk to guys about that in a second-round opener, then we’re not on the same page.”

He also blasted the team’s poor transition offense:

“Our transition decision-making was diabolical,” he said. “We should’ve been able to generate better looks consistently. We didn’t.”

Edwards Takes Responsibility

Edwards acknowledged the criticism and took accountability.

“People are going to try to blame whatever, blame whoever; they can blame me,” he said. “[But] we just didn’t play good enough.”

He also pointed to his defensive effort — two first-half steals — but didn’t shy away from Finch’s comments.

Rest vs. Rust?

Rudy Gobert hinted that the team’s six-day break between series may have backfired.

“Even though we practiced, I think we weren’t really feeling that intensity,” Gobert said.

Despite forcing 18 turnovers, the Timberwolves turned them into just 10 fast-break points.

What’s Next?

Game 2 tips off Thursday night, and Mike Conley expects a different showing.

“We all felt like we played as bad as we could. A lot of mental errors, a lot of things we can fix. I think we’ll be ready,” Conley said.

Game 1 was a missed opportunity. Game 2 will show if this Timberwolves team can reset — or if their playoff ceiling has already been exposed.