The Wednesday game against the Minnesota Timberwolves had the makings of a signature Stephen Curry flamethrower game. The twist in that script came towards the end, when the Golden State Warriors couldn't hold on to their double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and lost in overtime, 119-114.
Stephen Curry had 21 points in the first half, connecting on five of his seven three-point attempts in front of a Timberwolves crowd that could hardly contain its excitement.
He'd miss all five of his three-point attempts in the second half and would be held to 3 of 13 shooting the rest of the way as the Warriors squandered a 14-point fourth quarter lead against the T-Wolves.
It's not the first time Golden State has let its foot off the gas during a winnable game. Curry spoke out on the Timberwolves loss joining the list of half a dozen or so contests that they let slip away:
“It's the difference in all the narrative around our team,” Stephen Curry said after the game. “One hundred percent. We've got to accept it. … As the leader in terms of how we're playing out there on the floor. I hold a lot of responsibility for not being able to get it done.”
The Warriors have given away a handful of fourth quarter leads this season.
Steph Curry: “It’s the difference in all the narrative around our team. One hundred percent.” pic.twitter.com/xaqt74jOFJ
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 2, 2023
Every game is important in the NBA. That's amplified by just how bunched together the Western Conference standings have been this season. A win against the Timberwolves would have propelled the Warriors to the fifth seed and just half a game from homecourt advantage. The loss keeps Stephen Curry and the Dubs on the outside of the top six, looking in.