In architecture, the term “keystone” is applied to the wedge-shaped stone piece at the apex of an arch. This critical component locks all the other stones into place and allows the entire arch to bear weight, making it the single most important part of the entire arch. Remove the keystone, and the arch collapses rather quickly.
On Saturday night, the Golden State Warriors attempted to win a game without their basketball keystone in Draymond Green, against a long-limbed and fearsomely athletic Minnesota Timberwolves squad. The open question was, how would the Warriors respond without the heart and soul of their team, on the back end of a back-to-back, against a team that actually beat them at Oracle near the end of last season?