Warriors struggle again to stop Timberwolves stars Edwards and Randle

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Anthony Edwards shook both hands at his sides in celebration after knocking down his second consecutive 3-pointer over a 33-second span midway through the third quarter as the Minnesota Timberwolves took over and ran away from the Golden State Warriors.

No matter the matchup, Edwards is having his way with Golden State's defense. And Julius Randle, too.

Coach Steve Kerr keeps stressing how if the Warriors are going to win their playoff series against the T-Wolves it will be because of defense. That defense isn't getting it done, and the Warriors lost 117-110 on Monday night for a second straight home defeat at Chase Center.

They now face a 3-1 deficit in the best-of-seven Western Conference series and will try to stave off elimination heading back to Minneapolis for Game 5 on Wednesday.

“The mindset and the mood is still very high,” Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga said.

Edwards and Randle each shot 11 for 21 and they combined for 10 3-pointers as the Timberwolves went 16 of 34 from long range.

Randle routinely made it look easy going to the basket in Game 4, then Edwards lit up the scoreboard by scoring 11 points in a 17-0 third-quarter surge.

“I think we just panicked because they were making everything,” Kuminga said. “We let our guard down.”

That 1-2 punch is more than Golden State can handle, especially without an injured Stephen Curry on the floor keeping everything together. Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green can't do it all themselves.

Coming off a triple-double in a 102-97 Game 3 win, Randle had 31 points — 19 of those by halftime. He shot 10 of 23 for 24 points in Game 3 after scoring 18 and 24 the first two games.

Slowing Edwards was just as important for the Warriors, who held the dynamic guard to making five of 14 shots in the first half Monday two days after he went off for 36 points while making 13 of 28 shots with five 3-pointers.

But Edwards' 3 to beat the halftime buzzer Monday pulled Minnesota within 60-58 at the break and gave the Wolves momentum.

Kerr liked the energy of his defense and Gary Payton II's effort.

“It was a big shot. I thought the way we defended it, it was great. Gary was all over him,” Kerr said. “Draymond came out to double and he hits a step-back 30-footer. There’s not much you can do about that.”

He split two defenders in the key for a floating jumper and three-point play at the 7:45 mark of the third quarter, then hit consecutive 3-pointers on his way to six made 3s.

Before the game, Kerr specifically mentioned Edwards and Randle.

“We’ve got to figure out a way to slow them down," he said, “especially late.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, center right, looks to shoot against Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney, center left, during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) gestures to the referee during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Golden State Warriors, Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) shoots against Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) drives to the basket against Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, left, during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday fired off another warning to the government of Cuba as the close ally of Venezuela braces for potential widespread unrest after Nicolás Maduro was deposed as Venezuela's leader.

Cuba, a major beneficiary of Venezuelan oil, has now been cut off from those shipments as U.S. forces continue to seize tankers in an effort to control the production, refining and global distribution of the country's oil products.

Trump said on social media that Cuba long lived off Venezuelan oil and money and had offered security in return, “BUT NOT ANYMORE!”

“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO!” Trump said in the post as he spent the weekend at his home in southern Florida. “I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.” He did not explain what kind of deal.

The Cuban government said 32 of its military personnel were killed during the American operation last weekend that captured Maduro. The personnel from Cuba’s two main security agencies were in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, as part of an agreement between Cuba and Venezuela.

“Venezuela doesn’t need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years,” Trump said Sunday. “Venezuela now has the United States of America, the most powerful military in the World (by far!), to protect them, and protect them we will.”

Trump also responded to another account’s social media post predicting that his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, will be president of Cuba: “Sounds good to me!” Trump said.

Trump and top administration officials have taken an increasingly aggressive tone toward Cuba, which had been kept economically afloat by Venezuela. Long before Maduro's capture, severe blackouts were sidelining life in Cuba, where people endured long lines at gas stations and supermarkets amid the island’s worst economic crisis in decades.

Trump has said previously that the Cuban economy, battered by years of a U.S. embargo, would slide further with the ouster of Maduro.

“It’s going down,” Trump said of Cuba. “It’s going down for the count.”

A person watches the oil tanker Ocean Mariner, Monrovia, arrive to the bay in Havana, Cuba, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

President Donald Trump attends a meeting with oil executives in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)