It’s been the tale of the Golden State Warriors’ season — put yourself in a position to win, then fail to execute effectively at the most important times in the fourth-quarter. It wasn’t as stunning a collapse as we’ve seen in earlier games, but the result was all the same.

The Warriors had entered Minnesota on Sunday as underdogs, yet found themselves in front for the majority of the game. Having given up at least 116 points in each of their last four games, Golden State brought a greater attention-to-detail in the first three-quarters as they clung onto a three-point lead heading to the fourth.

But as has frequently been the case over the past few years, the non-Stephen Curry minutes proved crucial early in the period. The two-time MVP was locked to the bench as he saw his team fall down by eight in just over five minutes of playing time to start the fourth.

The Golden State Warriors’ season continues to go from bad to worse, with a 114-110 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves their sixth in the last nine games

Golden State battled and had a chance to go in front in the final two minutes, only for Gary Payton II to miss a point-blank layup that was followed by a tough mid-range jumpshot from Jaden McDaniels on the other end.

The Warriors gave up 36 points in the fourth-quarter, completely undoing all their good defensive work from the first 36 minutes. The Timberwolves began to light it up from beyond the arc, finishing 21-of-40 (52.5%) from beyond the arc.

That proved a game-defining factor as Golden State finished a less effective 14-of-36 (38.9%) from three-point range. Curry tried his best with five threes and a game-high 31 points, but no other Warrior scored more than 16 points.

HUGE Steph triple … This game 😅 pic.twitter.com/AwDK2aXpKr

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 25, 2024

Golden State would certainly regret Minnesota’s 19-8 to open the fourth, yet may also be disappointed to not have a bigger lead to protect prior to that run. The Timberwolves had lacked fluidity offensively, having been reliant on the hot shooting of known Warrior killer Naz Reid in the first-half.

The 24-year-old big man hit his first five triples, then knocked down his sixth on the first possession of the second-half which gave him 20 points to that point. But while Reid went silent from there on, Anthony Edwards began to find his groove while Nickeil Alexander-Walker went 3-of-5 from deep off the bench.

Klay Thompson had 16 points for the Warriors but shot just 6-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-11 from three-point range — the last of which clanked off the rim in what was a game-tying attempt in the final 10 seconds.

The loss is the Warriors’ sixth in their last nine games, pushing them to a 36-34 record on the season that further relinquishes their hold on the Western Conference’s tenth-seed.