Stephen Curry scored 44 points, his 46th game of 40 or more since turning 30, an NBA record, as the Golden State Warriors beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 119-114 on Wednesday night in Minneapolis. He needed his best statistical night of the early season to secure the win.
The Warriors’ coaching staff built the game plan around Curry. They wanted to pull Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert out of the paint, so they ran high-screen action with Curry in the first half to drag Gobert into space. It worked. Minnesota, reeling and playing its first game since losing Anthony Edwards to an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee, scrambled in its coverage on the back end, and an aggressive Curry shredded it.
Two nights earlier, the Denver Nuggets had keyed on stopping Curry, and he took only one shot in the first half, finishing an efficient but quiet 8-of-8 from the field. On Wednesday, he fired up six shots in the first seven minutes and then 10 more in the second quarter. At halftime, he had 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including five 3-pointers. The fifth came from 31 feet, an audacious attempt that signaled he was in rhythm.
Warriors Hold Off a Late Charge
Golden State led by as many as 24 points, but Minnesota forced a series of turnovers, pushed the pace against the older Warriors and threatened deep into the fourth quarter. Curry and the Warriors ultimately closed the game. He dove on the floor for a third-quarter loose ball, and he later said the effort showed how well his body was feeling on a night he played more than 30 minutes for the first time this season.
Despite cooling off from the field in the fourth quarter, Curry put the game away at the free throw line. He made all seven of his free throws in the final eight minutes and finished 16-of-16 from the line.
“We still have a lot of things to improve, but you like learning lessons while you’re winning,” Curry said. “The 2-1 road trip is great. Step in the right direction.”
Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg Impresses
Yaxel Lendeborg, a Warriors rookie, added 26 points and nine rebounds against Minnesota. Coach Steve Kerr said Lendeborg was in a sour mood after the game because of his seven turnovers. “I played hella soft today,” Lendeborg said. Earlier, Lendeborg said of Curry, “I’m just watching like, man, this guy is good as hell. It’s crazy. I caught myself shaking my head a couple times.”
Responding After a Slow Start
Golden State opened the season with three straight losses, including a 12-point collapse in the final three minutes of its home opener against the Memphis Grizzlies. With a daunting schedule ahead, concern about an early-season spiral grew. The Warriors have since responded. They blew out the Nuggets in Denver on Monday night, with Lendeborg scoring 31 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and handing out six assists in his fourth career game. They then survived Minnesota behind a fresh Curry.
“There’s a slight bit of relief,” Curry said. “But still an understanding that in the Memphis game, the second half tonight, we know we can play better.”
Lakers Rematch on Deck
The Warriors return home to San Francisco for a six-game homestand that opens Friday night against Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers crushed Golden State in the opener, and Lendeborg had a memorable dustup with Doncic that spilled over into the postgame news conferences. Asked whether he was looking forward to the rematch, Lendeborg said, “Absolutely.”
“Yes, I am,” he said. “I’ll talk about that more on Friday.”