Can the Warriors without Curry still withstand the Timberwolves? Offense and defense disconnect + physical collapse, calmly take stock of the truth of this set of duels

At the moment when the news of Curry's injury came out, the mentality of Warriors fans was probably similar to being beaten late at night to watch the ball. It is not unreasonable to directly play it on the spot. After all, Curry's role is not simply "lack of individuals, but the engine and lubricant of the entire Warriors system. To be honest, without Curry's Warriors, the offensive end may even be directly cut off. Although everyone says that the Warriors rely on the system every year, it really comes to a tough battle. Without Curry, there are passes and cuts, no balls, It's not an alarmist statement to open up the space. The season data is here. When Curry is absent, the Warriors' offensive efficiency drops directly to the top of the league. This gap is like returning to the lottery zone overnight from the playoff team. Even if you have players like Butler and Kumingga who can break through and shoot, you have to consider it if you really meet a young and energetic opponent like the Timberwolves.

The question is here, can the Warriors still wrestle with the Timberwolves? Let's not rush to draw a conclusion, and talk about it at several levels. First of all, at the tactical level, Curry's running without the ball and restraint on the outside are the most troublesome things for the opponent. When he is on the court, the defense must always be wary of being pulled open by him. Once this "stirring stick is gone, the opponent will naturally dare to shrink. The passing and cutting system on which the Warriors rely on is very easy to get stuck. Don't look at Butler's last game to play a quasi-triple double, which will drive Hilde and Kumingga fired from the outside. It's hard to say whether that state can last. After all, when the Timberwolves played against the Lakers in the first round, they had a top three in the league in defensive efficiency, with three-point shooting percentage directly below 30%. The Warriors' style of playing that relies on the outside, facing the Timberwolves' double towers, Gobert and Randle average rebounds and block data per game, and the Warriors could not spray at all at the inside height. If the opponent really shrinks and the outside line gets ironed up, they will be beaten in minutes.

Let's talk about physical fitness. The Warriors had just experienced tiebreak before playing against the Timberwolves. They had to go on the field after a day of rest. On the other hand, the Timberwolves easily defeated the Lakers 4-1 in the first round, and had to rest for five more days. The physical gap was not even enough. Don't forget how much physical energy consumption the playoffs tiebreak is. In the second half, they really fought to the limit. Young players still have some room for maneuver. The Warriors and veterans, especially without Curry sharing the pressure, have the load of several main players on the field, can be seen to be large in the naked eye, and they can't breathe for them when watching live broadcasts outside. In this case, if the Timberwolves counterattack is pulled apart by a wave of counterattack, it will be difficult for the Warriors to block back by defense and teamwork.

Speaking of collaboration, Butler's performance is actually worthy of praise. In the last G1 game, he was able to stabilize the situation at a critical moment and drive outside firepower, but can the Warriors' role players really explode every game? The people in Hilde, Kumingga and Looney are in a big state. When they encounter the opponent's high-intensity defense, the hit rate will easily fall into the quagmire of solo fighting and round tug-of-war. Especially Edwards, a player who breaks through and creates killing ability, averages 26.8 points per game in the first round and can score 43 points at critical moments. Even if the Warriors shrink their defense line, it is difficult for them to completely limit him. The atmosphere at home is very strong. The noise and rhythm of the target center are directly causing the Warriors to lose a single shot on the outside. This is a real objective disadvantage.

Of course, the Warriors are not completely out of chance. After all, the team's background and experience can still be ranked in the league. In terms of details such as playoff experience, key ball handling, and on-the-spot response, the Warriors are much more experienced than the Timberwolves. Butler's "lost mode can be rescued occasionally, but it is still risky to expect him to be full in every game. If the Timberwolves fall off their chains and the power off the outside line suddenly goes off, the Warriors rely on experience and team defense, it is not impossible to bite the score. In this situation, whoever can control mistakes and seize the offensive window will be able to take the initiative. To put it bluntly, if the Warriors want to win, they must have a full burst of role players and defense line To the extreme, and at the same time, expect the Timberwolves to make mistakes by themselves, this probability is not unstoppable. After all, any unpleasant player on the basketball court may occur.

But the reality still needs to be faced. The external environment and the lineup shortcomings, it is difficult for the Warriors to have a chance to be optimistic about the Timberwolves, especially once Curry is absent, the entire team's offensive and defensive connection, positional warfare organization, and key ball handling will all be reshuffled. Without him restraining space, the Warriors can only rely on the team to blossom more points, but the opponent's physical fitness reserve, inside height, and home court advantage are not inferior. Based on these rounds of comparison, the Warriors are indeed at a disadvantage. Even with "X factors such as Butler and Hilder, it is difficult to turn the tables overall.

So the conclusion is very simple. In this series, the Warriors want to win, which is as difficult as crossing mountains and rivers. Curry's absence seems to push them into a deeper pit. Not to mention "system dependence, it is more like the entire system has been removed. Of course, the optimism and belief of the fans are still there, but rationally, this round of Warriors wants to rely on experience and teamwork to fight the Timberwolves, and the chances of winning are really not great. Unless the role players wake up collectively and the Timberwolves suddenly make mistakes, it is highly likely that the Timberwolves will advance. Do you think there is still suspense? Why not spray the comment section to see who really understands the ball?