Lou Williams believes the Warriors, without Steph Curry, will be unable to stop the Minnesota Timberwolves from winning their Western Conference semifinal series.
The former NBA player explained why Golden State cannot currently compete against Minnesota’s deep roster.
“They’re a different basketball team without Steph Curry on the floor,” Williams told Michelle Beadle and Chandler Parsons Tuesday on FDTV’s “Run It Back.” “You can see it. They’re doing everything in their power to compete with this Minnesota Timberwolves team; they just don’t have enough. It’s not for lack of effort. It’s not for lack of anything; they’re just outmanned.
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Lou Williams says one of the 3-1 series will have a comeback, but it won't be the Warriors-Timberwolves 😬
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 13, 2025
"They're a different basketball team without Steph Curry...they're outmanned."@MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 | @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/Hgm6XWbLBy
This stark difference was on full display during the third quarter of Game 4, where the Timberwolves savaged the Warriors, outscoring them 39-17. With Jimmy Butler ineffective for most of the game, Golden State lacked a consistent scoring threat to match Minnesota’s duo of Anthony Edwards and Randle.
Given the nature of Curry’s Grade 1 hamstring strain, it’s unlikely that he will be able to return for a must-win Game 5. Even then, asking the 37-year-old to return from injury and shoulder the scoring for three straight games is too much even for one of the greatest shooters in NBA history.
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The rest of Golden State’s lineup has been far too inconsistent beyond Jonathan Kuminga. Without another serious scoring threat, the Warriors have been unable to keep pace now that the Timberwolves have regained their strong shooting form.
The Warriors look like a team running on fumes after a tough play-in game against the Memphis Grizzlies and a draining seven-game series against the Houston Rockets. Unless someone else can get hot and start scoring, Minnesota is poised to walk away victorious in Game 5 on Wednesday at Target Center.