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Without Stephen Curry on the court, the Golden State Warriors are desperately searching for answers to avoid elimination against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Through four games, Brandin Podziemski has not been that guy.
Despite starting each of the series' first four games, Podziemski has been arguably the Warriors' biggest offensive liability. The second-year guard has gone a combined 9-for-40 for the field, 22.5 percent. Should his horrific shooting hold up to the end, it is on track to be the worst of any player in a playoff series since the Atlanta Hawks' Pero Antic shot just 16.7 percent against the Indiana Pacers in 2014, according to the Associated Press' Josh Dubow.
Podziemski has had his moments, including a four-steal performance in Game 4 and dropping a team-high six assists in Game 2, but his shot has never been there. He went 4-for-9 from the floor in Game 2 but has otherwise been dreadful, shooting just 14 percent in Game 1, 10 percent in Game 3 and 21 percent in Game 4.
The former first-round pick has been even worse from deep, where he is a combined 3-for-17. He hit one in each of the first three games before blanking in Game 4 on four attempts.
The Warriors hope Curry can return from his hamstring injury in Game 5, but it does not appear likely. Without many other options, Podziemski figures to remain in the starting lineup until the wheels completely fall off.
Warriors continue to nosedive without Stephen Curry
Podziemski's struggles have been part of, but not fully, the reason why Golden State finds itself on the brink of elimination after four games. With one game left to prevent himself from making unfortunate history, the Warriors still need everything they can get out of Podziemski in a clear all-hands-on-deck situation.
In Podziemski's defense, nearly the entire Warriors team has struggled offensively since Curry suffered his injury in Game 1. Save for Jonathan Kuminga, nobody on the team can consistently find a rhythm in his absence. Even Jimmy Butler, who has historically been a dynamic playoff performer, has alternated good games with lackluster performances.
Since Curry's injury, the Warriors have lost three straight to the Timberwolves to find themselves on the wrong end of a 3-1 tilt entering Game 5. With history against them, Golden State finds itself on the back foot as a 10-point underdog in the potential close-out game.
