With a few stars resting, it’s the Wolves’ turn to cut down the Warriors

The nights are one after the other and they are not the same in the NBA. Even when two opponents face off two nights in a row on the same floor. Beaten dry 26 points the previous day by the Warriorslast night the Wolves responded with a 25-point victory (108-83).

This second meeting was played in a different configuration than the first, because Stephen Curry etc Draymond Green on one side, and Anthony Edwards on the other hand, he didn’t play. In the latter’s absence, the Wolves interior shined with 15 points and 17 rebounds. Rudy Gobert and 18 units for the best scorer of the match, Julius Randle. On the back side, Bones Hyland (17 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists) brought a lot off the bench.

In contrast, all elements of the top five met or exceeded the 10-point score. But this California version, which went on a 13-0 run in the first quarter, had a hard time hanging on offensively. Especially at the end of the first period where Gobert made his presence felt, all of his deterrent power on defense.

In the final minute, the Frenchman challenged a “floater” Moses Moody, grabbed the rebound and then spontaneously threw it back to Randle for a quiet dunk. In doing so, the former Shole player signed a “spin move” that surprised the entire opposing defense before receiving a foul. His racquetball friend scored again, and then Gobert put it back on Traice Jackson-Davis before the buzzer.

So much so that at the break the deficit was 15 points (53-38). The third quarter will not be so brilliant for the home team, but the deficit was not questioned by the visitors. At the beginning of the last period, they trailed by 18 points (75-57). Two 3-pointers later by Donta DiVincento, the Wolves knew things were looking good.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

– The end of the black streak for Wolves. Chris Finch’s men snapped a five-game losing streak, their longest such streak since December 2022. Still 6th in the West, the Wolves will now look to move forward as they play four of their next games on the road (Mavs, Grizzlies twice and the Raptors), with hosting the Thunder at the heart of the sequence.

– The interior of Wolves in the right pace. Behind Gobert, who clearly dominated the debates and who was excellently launched by DiVincenzo and Hyland from the first minutes of the game, we can mention Julius Randle (who still lost 6 of his team’s 23 turnovers), Naz Reed (15 points and 7 rebounds) or even Joan Beringer who gave 6 points and 4 rebounds.

How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = point difference when the player is on the court; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.