Warriors, Wolves face fatigue concerns on second night of back-to-back games
The Minnesota Timberwolves have lost five games in a row for the first time this season.
If nothing else, a quick turnaround will prevent the team from dwelling on the skid.
The Timberwolves will try to break out of their slump when they tip off against the Golden State Warriors for the second time in as many nights Monday in Minneapolis. The teams also played Sunday, when the Warriors pulled away in the second half for a 111-85 victory.
Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards did his part on offense with 32 points on 13-for-20 shooting, but he said everyone on the team needed to increase their energy level Monday.
"Everybody's tired," Edwards said. "Everybody's ready to go to the (All-Star) break. But we're just getting outplayed on the effort part. So we've got to bring it on that side, for sure."
Meanwhile, the Warriors will go for two wins in two days while also keeping a focus on players' long-term health as the league's All-Star break approaches.
The big question for Golden State on Monday is whether Stephen Curry will play or whether he will receive a rest day. Curry has dealt with knee soreness recently, and it is possible that coach Steve Kerr will opt to rest the 37-year-old on the second night of a back-to-back set.
Curry led the Warriors with 26 points on 7-for-18 shooting on Sunday. He added seven assists, four steals and a pair of rebounds in 28 minutes.
After the game, Curry said he was optimistic that he could play Monday but he would get treatment on his knee and wait to see how he felt in the morning.
Two other veteran Warriors players, Al Horford and De'Anthony Melton, are not expected to play Monday. The duo has not taken part in back-to-back games this season.
That could mean more playing time for Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski and others who will fill the void for the Warriors. Moody logged 28 minutes on Sunday and finished with 19 points on 7-for-15 shooting, and Podziemski scored 12 points on 6-for-10 shooting in 22 minutes.
The pair of games initially were scheduled to take place Saturday and Monday with a rest day on Sunday, but that changed when the league delayed Saturday's contest until Sunday after federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti less than three miles from the Timberwolves' arena.
Kerr said he could sense the emotions in the building as protests continued outside.
"Honestly, what I felt was that their group was suffering," Kerr said. "I thought the vibe in the stands, it was one of the most bizarre, sad games I've ever been a part of. You could feel the somber atmosphere. Their team, we could tell they were struggling with everything that's been going on and what the city has been through."
Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo said players have spoken about the lagging energy level on the team. He said they recognize the problem, and now it is time for solutions.
"It's been addressed," DiVincenzo said. "But at the same time, words can only go as far as words go. It might work for one or two games, but this needs to be something that is a night in and night out thing where you play with energy."