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With their playoff backs against the wall, the Golden State Warriors found support from an unlikely source: across the Bay. Before taking on the Minnesota Twins on Friday night, several San Francisco Giants players showed up for pregame warm-ups sporting Warriors gear — specifically, Warriors hats — in a show of solidarity with their NBA neighbors as Golden State gears up for a crucial Game 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The gesture didn’t go unnoticed, especially with the Warriors currently navigating treacherous waters without their star, Stephen Curry. The two-time MVP suffered a hamstring strain in Game 1 and is expected to be out until at least Game 6, should the series last that long. Tied 1-1 heading into Saturday’s Game 3 at Chase Center, Golden State will need contributions from up and down the roster to keep the series alive — and give Curry a chance to return.
Helping fuel those hopes is rookie big man Trayce Jackson-Davis, who impressed with 15 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting in Game 2 and is now slated to start Game 3. “We have to figure out what we’re going to be able to do in this series without Steph,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “So we gave a lot of people a lot of chances, and some guys really stepped up.”
Warriors prepare to take on the Timberwolves in Game 3
Jonathan Kuminga, another X-factor, also made noise off the bench with 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting. After being sidelined in parts of the first round, Kuminga’s resurgence could be a key swing factor as Kerr continues to tinker with the lineup.
The Warriors are looking to avoid the same slow start that doomed them in Game 2, where they didn’t score until nearly five minutes in. Jimmy Butler hit a three to finally break a 13-0 drought, but the Wolves never looked back, winning 117-93 behind strong showings from Julius Randle (24 points, 11 assists), Anthony Edwards (20 points), and a deep bench effort.
“We have to do it based on feel, but we can also do it based on last night and having a tape to watch,” Kerr said ahead of Game 3. “Despite the loss, we learned a lot. The players learned a lot, and I think we’ll have a concrete plan coming into tomorrow that we’ll feel good about.”
Draymond Green, who picked up his fifth technical of the postseason, needs to tread carefully moving forward — two more will trigger an automatic suspension.
With Game 3 set for Saturday night in San Francisco, the Warriors face a do-or-die stretch without their most reliable weapon. But with role players rising and the local sports family rallying behind them — including a spirited show of support from the Giants — Golden State is hoping to ride that wave of energy to keep their playoff run alive.
