Stephen Curry poured in 26 points as the Warriors cruised past the Timberwolves 111-85 on Sunday night, but the basketball itself felt almost beside the point.
Inside Target Center, the game unfolded under a heavy cloud.
Minneapolis was still reeling from a pair of fatal shootings involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents – incidents that sparked protests across the city, forced Saturday’s game to be postponed, and cast a very somber tone over Sunday’s make up game.
“It was definitely that,” Curry said of the heavy atmosphere at the stadium. “I know there’s a lot of heavy hearts. A lot of things – especially for this Minneapolis community – have been rough. You could feel it when we got here two days ago.”
Kerr said the Warriors’ win came without the usual sense of satisfaction, given everything surrounding the Timberwolves and the heartbreak their city is facing.
“Honestly, what I felt was that their group was suffering,” Kerr said, echoing Curry’s description of the atmosphere inside the arena. “The vibe in the stands — it was one of the most bizarre, sad games I’ve ever been a part of. You could feel it. Their team was struggling with everything that’s been going on and what the city has been through.”
Golden State took control early, forcing turnovers and stretching the margin throughout the night and were able to defeat a pretty well full strength Wolves team without Jimmy Butler and some other key players.
But Kerr stressed that the final score didn’t reflect the emotional weight of the night.
“We’re happy about the win,” Kerr said, “but it was very difficult to see so many people struggling and sad. People came to the game to try to forget about stuff, but I don’t think anything went away for the city or for their team.”
For Curry, the issue at hand was impossible to tune out, even away from the arena at the team’s hotel.
“I was glued to the TV when we weren’t playing,” Curry said. “Just watching the coverage, understanding what was going on, trying to really get knowledgeable about it.”
He told the media he even recorded video from his hotel room as demonstrators marched.
“It was like three straight hours,” Curry said. “In negative 10-degree weather. That was beautiful to see that turnout. That speaks to how important people felt it was to have their voice heard.”
He added, “There’s a lot of change that needs to happen. When you’re here, you feel it. Hopefully, the community comes together, and the right decisions are made so there’s more of a peaceful environment here.”
READ MORE: NBA Players Respond After Alex Pretti Killed During Minneapolis Protest