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Ant shoves Steph-less Warriors one step closer to offseason in Game 4 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – The last few seconds of the first half Monday night were illustrative in understanding why the Warriors are one loss from skidding into the offseason.

After Jonathan Kuminga dropped in two free throws to punctuate a 14-3 run and give the Warriors a 60-55 lead with eight seconds on the clock, the Minnesota Timberwolves inbounded and put the ball in the hands of Anthony Edwards.

The Warriors responded appropriately. Draymond Green and Gary Payton II, their best defenders, converged on Edwards in hopes of preventing one of those buzzer-beating 3-pointers that inspires one team and deflates the other.

Edwards took note of Green and Payton, dribbled into a rhythm and launched a 30-footer that swished, inspiring the Timberwolves and signaling the beginning of the end for the Warriors in Game 4 and, perhaps, these Western Conference semifinals.

Minnesota’s scorching third quarter – a 39-17 advantage – muted the sellout crowd (18,064) at Chase Center and laid a 117-110 smashing on the Warriors that leaves them one game from elimination.

“It was a big shot,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I thought the way we defended it was great. I mean, Gary was all over him. Draymond came out to double. Then he hit a step-back 30-footer. There’s not much you can do about that.”

Recognizing the significance of Edwards’ shot, Green expressed a measure of regret over the way that and several other shots were defended.

“It was huge,” Green said. “One thing we talked about at halftime is like, ‘Yeah, he hit a tough shot. What could we have done differently? Could we have not let him walk up to the spot?’

“But it’s like every time we’re on a run, we’re letting Ant break the run up. Somebody can break the run up, but it can’t be their best player. Our defense should be so keyed at that point during a run that it can’t be their best player just getting to a spot and raising up.”

With Stephen Curry sidelined with a strained left hamstring, the Warriors have been consistent in their messaging, saying their defense would be the primary dictator of their fortunes. And through three games, it had its moments.

Not so much in Game 4, largely thanks to Edwards.

“It was huge,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said of Edwards’ halftime buzzer-beater, “because it felt like one of those games where we were going to struggle to find a rhythm.”

Instead, Minnesota left Golden State’s defense in ruins during the relevant first three quarters, shooting 53.0 percent from the field, including 51.6 percent from distance, before finishing at 49.4 and 47.1. Edwards scored 30 points, 16 in the decisive third quarter. Julius Randle finished with a game-high 31. Their combined 61 points came on 22-of-42 shooting, including 10 of 19 from deep.

The third-quarter blast gave Minnesota a 97-77 lead entering the fourth quarter, effectively shoving the Warriors a giant step closer to going home for the summer.

“It felt like there were some [shots] in the third quarter where we got disconnected defensively and they got they got wide open looks,” Kerr said. “I also thought they hit some really tough shots as well. They played a great game and obviously took it to us.”

Golden State’s offense couldn’t do much to help its cause. There was another energetic performance by Kuminga – 23 points, 6-of-13 shooting from the field, including 11 of 12 from the line – and not much else.

Jimmy Butler III, so prolific in Game 3 but “under the weather” on Monday, walked off the court with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field. Buddy Hield totaled 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting, including 2 of 6 from deep. Brandin Podziemski continued to struggle for buckets, finishing with 11 points while shooting 3 of 14, including 0 of 4 from distance.

“Everybody has to shoot,” Green said. “If you get the opening, you’ve got to let it go. Sometimes, we’re passing some up. Without Steph, at times the first good look oftentimes will be the best look.”

Since winning Game 1 on the road, the Warriors have lost three in a row, the last two on their home floor. The last time Golden State lost three consecutive postseason games were, gulp, the 2016 NBA Finals, when the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 deficit by winning Games 5, 6 and 7.

Golden State’s task now is to win three straight games over the Wolves, including two at Target Center in Minneapolis.

“We’ve got to bounce back,” Kerr said. “We’ve got a flight to Minneapolis tomorrow and a chance to extend the series. And that’s the plan.”

From the looks of Games 3 and 4 at Chase, a Golden State comeback seems a feat beyond the grasp of the roster without Curry, with Butler now ill and so many shortcomings elsewhere.

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How Steph amusingly trash talked Ant after missed 3-pointer in Game 4 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Western Conference semifinals series between the Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves was set up to be a potentially legendary showdown between Steph Curry and Anthony Edwards.

But after suffering a hamstring strain early in Game 1, Curry mostly has been constrained to watch from the sidelines.

Nevertheless, Curry has made his voice heard all series — both by teammates and opponents — which continued in the Warriors’ 117-110 loss in Game 4 on Monday at Chase Center.

In his postgame presser following his 30-point performance, Edwards revealed some in-game trash talk with Curry after Edwards was asked about playing against Golden State without their two-time NBA MVP.

“Just from working out with him over the summer, that’s what I told him after I hit a three,” Edwards told reporters. “Because he told me — I had missed one — he was like, ‘You weren’t going to make that. You were too open.’

“And I was like, ‘I ain’t gonna never stop shooting them. I learned that from you this summer.'”

"I ain't gonna never stop shooting 'em. I learned that from you this summer."

Ant on what he told Steph Curry after he hit a three in Game 4 😆🤝 pic.twitter.com/7TE1p971dF

— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 13, 2025

It’s not often you see trash talk mixed with a compliment, but the two players clearly have a good relationship. Curry and Edwards spent plenty of time together last offseason when they helped Team USA win gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Minnesota’s rising superstar has been open about the impact of that experience alongside Curry; that influence is evidenced by Edwards leading the NBA in made 3-pointers during the 2024-25 regular season.

In other words, one might argue Curry played a pivotal role in creating the juggernaut that could be responsible for his team’s playoff demise, now that the Timberwolves own a 3-1 lead with the series heading back to Minnesota.

Unfortunately for the Warriors — and potentially NBA fans as a whole — Curry might not have the chance for a rebuttal against Edwards in their friendly feud this season.

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Why apologetic Draymond felt like ‘coward' after Warriors' Game 3 loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After the Warriors dropped Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinals series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, Draymond Green still had his mind on his actions from Saturday.

Golden State’s veteran forward fouled out of his team’s Game 3 loss and apologized to reporters Monday for failing to speak to them in the aftermath.

“Before I start, I want to apologize to y’all,” Green told the media before starting his press conference after the Warriors’ 117-110 loss in Game 4 at Chase Center. “I didn’t talk the other day. I was quite a bit frustrated and very careful of — didn’t want to get myself fined, but more so say something and make it sound like an excuse.

“We struggle and lose, and I didn’t come up here and talk, and I felt like a coward when I got home. So I wanted to apologize to y’all for that.”

With four minutes and 38 seconds left in the Warriors’ eventual 102-97 loss on Saturday, Green collected his sixth and final personal foul with Golden State trailing by two points.

The 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year finalist had tallied just two points, two rebounds and four assists up to that point, and his foul trouble kept him from making much of an impact as the Timberwolves attacked the rim.

While some of the calls on Green were questionable according to his Warriors teammates and coach Steve Kerr, it’s evident the 35-year-old didn’t want to blame the referees for his struggles in Game 3.

Green’s less-than-stellar night on Saturday came one game after he faced racially charged comments from Timberwolves fans in Minnesota — an incident that caused the team to open up an investigation when one fan was ejected from Target Center for violating the NBA Fan Code of Conduct, per the Timberwolves, and another left the arena on his own accord.

After that game, during which Green received a technical foul for hitting Wolves big man Naz Reid in the face, the Warriors star gave a passionate statement declaring he’s “not an angry Black man” and that there is an “agenda” trying to paint him as such.

When asked about his post-Game 2 comments after Monday’s loss, where Green improved to score 14 points with seven rebounds and two assists, he made it clear he has turned the page.

“I’ve moved on,” Green told reporters.

Green never has been one to shy away from accountability after all the ups and downs he has experienced throughout his career. His apology on Monday was just another example of that, even if it came a couple of days later.

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Steve Kerr avoids hypothetical about Steph Curry possibly playing in Game 5 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry has missed the Warriors’ last three Western Conference semifinals games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and if he misses another, Golden State’s season might end Wednesday.

Which is why everyone is wondering if Curry might push to play at Target Center.

Asked after the Warriors’ Game 4 loss if Curry would be allowed to play Wednesday if he told the medical staff he’s good to go, coach Steve Kerr danced around the hypothetical question.

“When are we giving the update?” Kerr asked, looking at Warriors PR personnel. “Wednesday, we’ll have an update.”

Curry sustained a Grade 1 left hamstring strain in the first half of the Warriors’ Game 1 win over the Timberwolves. When his MRI results were announced, Golden State said the 37-year-old would be re-evaluated on May 14, the same day as Game 5.

Typically, re-evaluations lead to more time missed, so it’s unlikely Curry is ready to go Wednesday.

But longtime running mate Draymond Green shed light on the work Curry is doing to get back on the court before it’s too late.

“When you’re competing for championships, or trying to, the most important thing you can have on your side is health,” Green told reporters after Monday’s 117-110 loss. “You start getting a month, two and a half months longer into this already long season, and injuries are more likely to happen, so you try to do all that you can to prevent that. I send my love to [Jayson Tatum]. Never wish any injury on anybody; hoping that it’s not what everyone thinks it is. Such a great young talent in this league. Does everything the right way. So, hate to see him go down.

“As far as Steph, he’s working his tail off every day. You know, he’s in here eight, nine hours a day, working, doing what he can to try to get back. So, you know, his morale is great. Obviously, nobody’s excited right now, but he’s working to get back. That’s all you can do it at this point.”

Curry hasn’t spoken to the assembled media since May 8, but he talked to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears after Monday’s loss and tempered expectations that he might play Wednesday.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last week and reiterated Monday that a possible Game 6, scheduled for Sunday, May 18, is the earliest Curry could return.

Curry is itching to return, knowing that the Warriors’ season is hanging in the balance. But all signs point to the four-time NBA champion sitting out another game.

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The Nets have been awarded the eighth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery.

This was their first time participating in the lottery since they landed the third overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft -- which they ultimately used on big man Derrick Favors out of Georgia Tech.

Brooklyn entered the night with just a 9.0 percent chance of winning this year's lottery and the opportunity to select Duke star Cooper Flagg after finishing with the sixth-worst record in the league.

Instead, the eighth selection will headline their four first-rounders this year. As part of the Mikal Bridges deal with the Knicks they also have the 19th, 26th and 27th picks as well as the 36th pick coming in the second round.

It'll be interesting to see if GM Sean Marks keeps all of these picks for the rebuilding club or looks to package some of them in a deal for a superstar such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is said to be "open-minded" about leaving Milwaukee.

Some of the players in recent mock drafts around Brooklyn's pick include Duke's Kon Knueppel, Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears, and Texas' Tre Johnson.

This year's draft takes place on June 25 and 26 at Barclays Center.

Here's how the rest of the lottery shaped out:

BREAKING — NBA Draft Lottery Results

1.) Mavs
2.) Spurs
3.) Sixers
4.) Hornets
5.) Utah
6.) Wizards
7.) Pelicans
8.) Nets
9.) Raptors
10.) Rockets
11.) Blazers
12.) Bulls
13.) Hawks
14.) Spurs

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 12, 2025

Players, fans react to Tatum's scary leg injury in Game 4 vs. Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics lost a pivotal Game 4 to the New York Knicks on Monday night to fall into a 3-1 series hole. Even worse, they may have lost their superstar for an extended period.

Jayson Tatum went down with an apparent lower right leg injury during the fourth quarter of Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. He stayed on the floor writhing in pain before Celtics trainers helped him into the locker room. He did not put any weight on his right leg and was helped into a wheelchair.

While Tatum’s status remains unclear, the outlook doesn’t look ideal. As the NBA world speculates about the injury’s severity, players on both teams, other athletes, and fans are sharing their stunned, empathetic reactions to one of the game’s biggest stars going down.

Knicks star Jalen Brunson immediately addressed Tatum’s injury during his postgame press conference.

“Prayers out to JT, man,” he said. “I just wanted to say that, first and foremost. Thoughts and prayers with him. Just praying for the best.”

Mitchell Robinson also shared his reaction immediately after the game.

“I’ve been dealing with injuries my whole career. You don’t want to see a guy go through stuff like that,” Robinson said.

Josh Hart shared similar sentiments.

“Hate that it happened. The NBA is a brotherhood, praying for him,” he said.

Karl-Anthony Towns joined his Knicks teammates in sending well-wishes to Tatum.

“I’ve been in a situation like that with my calf,” Towns said, per CLNS’ Bobby Manning. “If you saw, I just walked up, obviously respectful of his space. I just put my head down and prayed to my mother, prayed to God to put protection over him and comfort, whatever the injury may be. I hope it’s minor.”

Celtics veteran big man Al Horford has his longtime teammate on his mind after the defeat.

“The loss is the loss. More importantly it’s just Tatum that I’m worried about,” he said. “Just making sure I’m here for him. That’s my priority.”

Tatum’s co-star Jaylen Brown was at a loss for words.

“It’s tough,” he said. “Not really a lot to say.”

Tatum will get an MRI on Tuesday, according to Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. The C’s will almost certainly be without him with their backs against the wall in Wednesday’s do-or-die Game 5.

Here’s how other noteworthy personalities reacted to Tatum’s injury:

Knicks defeat Celtics to move within one win of Eastern Conference Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Jalen Brunson had 39 points and 12 assists, and the New York Knicks moved a win away from their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years and pushed the defending champion Boston Celtics to the brink of elimination with a 121-113 victory Monday night in Game 4.

The Celtics will have to make the NBA’s 14th comeback from a 3-1 deficit to extend their title reign and may have to do it without All-Star Jayson Tatum, who was carried off the court with a right leg injury with 2:58 left.

Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 23 points and OG Anunoby bounced back from two poor performances by scoring 20 for the Knicks, who can win the series Wednesday night at Boston. If not, they would come back to Madison Square Garden to try to do it Friday night.

Tatum scored 42 points, his high in these playoffs, before he was hurt when the Celtics turned the ball over and his leg gave out as he tried to lunge forward toward the loose ball.

The Knicks had taken control just before that in front of a delirious crowd of fans who haven’t seen them play in the conference finals since they lost to Indiana in 2000.

Nobody has come from 3-1 down since Denver did it twice in 2020 at the Walt Disney World resort. It hasn’t happened when a team had to win a true road game since Cleveland rallied past Golden State in the 2016 NBA Finals.

After leading by at least 20 points in the first three games — but blowing the first two of them in Boston — the Celtics had another double-digit lead less than five minutes into this game.

They led 62-51 at halftime, but the Knicks played their starters the entire way in a desperate third quarter in which they outscored the Celtics 37-23 to set up a thrilling final period.

Tatum’s three-point play tied it for the final time at 102-all before Anunoby hit a 3-pointer and the Knicks later put it away for good with an 11-0 burst that made it 116-104.

Derrick White made six 3-pointers and scored 23 points for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown had 20.

“We have to turn that page quickly and do our first job, which is win on Wednesday. That’s the mindset,” Celtics veteran Al Horford said. “As a group, we just have to rally together because obviously we’ve lost our leader, the guy that gets us going.”