Warriors’ Steve Kerr describes ‘somber atmosphere’ in win vs. Timberwolves

With Minneapolis in mourning and outrage, basketball stuff was the least important thing about the Golden State Warriors’ 111-85 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In a game that was postponed a day earlier due to the killing of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti, involving federal immigration officers, what stood out more than Stephen Curry’s 26 points and high-arching threes, more than Anthony Edwards’ usual offensive brilliance in the Purple Rain jerseys, and more than the Warriors’ first win after losing Jimmy Butler, was the somber atmosphere of the stadium.

After the win, head coach Steve Kerr described the morose scene from the Target Center.

“Honestly, what I felt was that their group was suffering,” Kerr said about the Timberwolves team and fans.

“I thought the vibe in the stands, it was one of the most bizarre, sad games I’ve ever been a part of. You can feel the somber atmosphere. Their team, we could tell, was struggling with everything that’s been going on, with what the city has been through. It was very sad. It was a sad night. Obviously, we got the win, and we’re happy about that, but very difficult to see so many people struggling.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have occupied Minneapolis for weeks, creating widespread turmoil and chaos in the city. Earlier this month, ICE agents killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good as she drove away from a group of officers, leading to mass protests across the country and a state-wide general strike in Minnesota.

And just two weeks later, multiple DHS officers forcibly wrestled Pretti to the ground and unloaded around 10 fatal gunshots into him, according to video analysis conducted by the New York Times and other news outlets.

“It was just quiet,” Brandin Podziemski said. “Not much energy, as expected, people voicing their opinions about what’s going on. … it was pretty dead.”

The players’ reactions to the game

With the Timberwolves understandably contending with their city in a crisis, basketball felt secondary all night long. Sure, the T-Wolves turned the ball over 26 times, and sure, the Warriors blitzed them 38-17 in the third quarter.

But both teams had their minds elsewhere as protests continued across the city and just outside the Target Center.

“You definitely felt the weight of the city,” Moses Moody said after the game. “Couldn’t imagine too many times where that group, that large of amount of people, are together in the midst of a situation like this.”

On the otherside, Timberwolves big Julius Randle expressed how the turmoil in Minneapolis has affected him personally.

“Regardless of politics, there’s a human aspect to it,” Randle said. “For me, I have kids, I have family. For me the job as a man is to be the protector of the house. You see things like that, and obviously, it’s tough, it’s hard to stomach things like that… regardless of whatever’s going on. When somebody loses their life, you never want to see that.

From the minute I’ve been here, Minneapolis has been great for me. Fans and [the] community have been really behind me. Everybody, neighbors, the community I live in, the school my son goes to, just everything, it’s been nothing but a joy since I been here, so… it’s tough.”

The Wolves and Warriors will face off tomorrow for the back end of this back-to-back.

Other noteables

• With Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton’s strict back-to-back policy, they will not be available for the Monday night rematch. Kerr said he did not know if Curry will be available as well, but is hopeful, though.
• Jonathan Kuminga will remain out as an MRI revealed a bone bruise in his knee due to the hyperextension he suffered against Dallas.
• Golden State’s 20 steals are a league high this season. They won the turnover margin 12-t0-26.
• Golden State sits 1.5 games behind the T-Wolves for seventh in the West. 2.0 games behind the Suns for sixth and 2.5 games behind the Lakers for fifth.

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