Player Grades: Warriors vs. Timberwolves Game 4

Assessing every Golden State player’s performance from the team’s 117-110 loss to Minnesota.

Well, it was a fun season, folks. And technically it’s not over yet. But the Golden State Warriors lost 117-110 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night in Game 4 of their Western Conference Semifinals series, and that all but spelled the end of a rollercoaster campaign. Barring a surprising Steph Curry return on Wednesday, this one looks over.

But it ain’t over ‘til it’s over. And until that happens, it’s time to keep the season — and the grades — coming. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.

Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. League-average TS this year was 57.6%.

Jimmy Butler III

34 minutes, 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 5-for-9 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, 4-for-5 free throws, 62.5% TS, -30

If the season ends on Wednesday, we’ll always wonder what would have transpired in an alternate timeline where Curry didn’t get hurt. But honestly, I’m also left wondering what would have happened had Butler not gotten hurt, too.

Presumably the Warriors would have finished the Houston Rockets in five or six games, and been more rested for this series. And more importantly, it seems safe to assume that Butler would be playing better than what we’re seeing right now.

Because he simply didn’t have it in this game, at all. He was slow, passive, and simply a non-factor almost the entire time that he was on the court.

He probably won’t say it, but there’s just no way that Butler is fully healthy right now. On top of that, Draymond Green alluded post-game to Butler being sick as well.

I don’t think I can watch that performance and not give him a bad grade, but at least give him a little grace in your evaluation of him.

Grade: C-
Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists, worst plus/minus on the team.

Draymond Green

34 minutes, 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, 6-for-14 shooting, 2-for-6 threes, 50.0% TS, -18

Not the best game for Dray. He had a very strong offensive start, and he really did a nice job of setting the tone and the pace early on, inhaling rebounds and turning them into transition opportunities. But it was one of his poorer defensive performances of the playoffs, and the offense disappeared in the second half.

Grade: C+

Trayce Jackson-Davis

19 minutes, 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 fouls, 2-for-2 shooting, 1-for-2 free throws, 86.8% TS, -18

I was really impressed with TJD in the first half of this game. He opened on Julius Randle and, even though Randle scored early and often, Jackson-Davis forced the All-Star to take hard shots. He was very active on the glass (more so than the rebounding totals suggest) and protecting the paint. A less successful second-half stint.

Grade: B

Buddy Hield

35 minutes, 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 4 turnovers, 3 fouls, 4-for-11 shooting, 2-for-6 threes, 3-for-4 free throws, 50.9% TS, -11

Hield has been a savior for the Dubs in these playoffs, but this isn’t a game that will be going on his highlight reel this offseason. I give him a lot of credit for keeping the energy and effort high all game long, even when things often felt lackadaisical. But he couldn’t get good looks, couldn’t make his shots, and played fairly sloppily, with his defense regressing a bit.

Grade: C

Brandin Podziemski

33 minutes, 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 3-for-14 shooting, 0-for-4 threes, 5-for-6 free throws, 33.1% TS, -9

I’m not sure if it’s variance, exhaustion following a long season, or a lack of proper space with Curry sidelined (probably all three), but Podziemski just has been unable to find anything on offense in this series. He’s just 3-for-17 from beyond the arc in the semis, and only 6-for-23 from inside it. He looked for his offense more in this game, but that didn’t really accomplish much.

A very active defensive game for Podz, though that activity often meant gambling or trying to take a charge and allowing a player to score easly.

Grade: C

Gary Payton II

16 minutes, 3 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 1-for-5 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, 30.0% TS, -3

Everyone on this roster looks better when Curry is on the court, and that’s probably double true of Payton, whose lack of ball-handling and spacing is exposed a little bit with Steph out.

Grade: C

Jonathan Kuminga

30 minutes, 23 points, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 6-for-13 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, 11-for-12 free throws, 62.9% TS, -13

It’s go for broke time, and I think the Warriors need to start Kuminga in Game 5. I understand the reasoning behind starting Jackson-Davis, and giving the team some size and interior defense to start the game. But we’ve reached the desperate point in the story, and it’s time to act accordingly. Kuminga’s been their best player the last two games. He’s young and athletic. Start him and play him 40 minutes.

Anyway, back to this game. I thought Marc captured it perfectly in the recap:

For a franchise full of people who speak about owing a lot to Curry, Kuminga was the only person who played with the controlled desperation his absence required.

“Controlled desperation” is really the perfect phrase. Kuminga played with so much ferocity, attacking the rim like it would save the season, but he also played under control. He needs to rebound better, though I thought he boxed out decently, and let his teammates grab boards. His defense was really strong.

Just as we all anticipated after the Houston series, it looks like Golden State’s season will end with Kuminga starring while the rest of the team fades into the offseason. Go figure.

Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Led the team in points.

Kevon Looney

14 minutes, 8 points, 8 rebounds, 2 fouls, 3-for-5 shooting, 2-for-2 free throws, 68.0% TS, +3

Looney also played with a lot of energy, aggression, and desperation. He was all over the paint on both ends of the court. Very good stuff from Looney.

Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.

Braxton Key

8 seconds, -3

Eight seconds of playing time, baby!

Grade: Incomplete

Moses Moody

7 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 2 fouls, 1-for-3 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, 50.0% TS, +11

Moody was officially removed from the rotation for this game, though he entered a few minutes before Steve Kerr fully waved the white flag. And he made his first field goal of the series! Moody getting on the court was the beginning of the Warriors starting to cut into the deficit, though I think that was as much Minnesota taking their foot off the gas as anything.

Grade: B
Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in assists.

Gui Santos

5 minutes, 7 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 foul, 3-for-4 shooting, 1-for-1 threes, 87.5% TS, +14

Santos made things interesting and got the crowd into it. Hard to ask for more than that in garbage time.

Grade: A
Post-game bonus: Tied for the best plus/minus on the team.

Quinten Post

5 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, 2-for-4 shooting, 1-for-2 threes, 62.5% TS, +14

Post also was removed from the rotation, but made the most of his garbage time minutes with some excellent play.

Grade: B+
Post-game bonus: Tied for the best plus/minus on the team.

Kevin Knox II

5 minutes, 2 points, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 1-for-1 shooting, 100.0% TS, +14

Should Kerr just start this group of players on Wednesday? I’m kidding. Mostly. Unless?

Grade: B
Post-game bonus: Tied for the best plus/minus on the team.

Pat Spencer

5 minutes, 2 points, 2-for-2 free throws, 113.6% TS, +14

And rounding out the garbage time minutes, mister lacrosse himself.

Grade: B
Post-game bonus: Tied for the best plus/minus on the team.

Monday’s inactives: Steph Curry