Curry's 44 points lift Warriors past Timberwolves 119-114
The veteran guard secured the win with late free throws after Minnesota closed to within three points, snapping a three-game losing streak for Golden State.
By Yasmin Kovalenko ·
Stephen Curry scored 44 points and grabbed eight rebounds on Wednesday night to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 119-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis. The win marked the second consecutive win for Golden State, which had dropped its first three games of the season.
Curry sealed the game in the final seconds by making two free throws after Bones Hyland's bank shot reduced Minnesota's deficit to three points. Yaxel Lendeborg provided strong support with 26 points, while Brandon Williams added 11 off the bench.
The Warriors built their advantage early, closing the first quarter with a 21-9 run to take a 30-23 lead. De'Anthony Melton hit two 3-pointers during that stretch, and Lendeborg contributed a driving layup and a 3-pointer. A Lendeborg layup with 6:29 left in the first half extended the lead to 48-38, the first double-digit margin of the game.
Golden State scored seven of the final nine points in the first half to enter the break ahead 64-48. Lendeborg hit a 3-pointer, and Will Richard and Curry each made two free throws to pad the lead.
The Warriors' advantage grew to 24 points in the second half after Curry completed a three-point play to make the score 78-54. Minnesota responded with a 27-15 run to close the third quarter, trimming the gap to 12 at 93-81. Hyland made two 3-pointers off the bench during that rally.
Despite outscoring Golden State 66-55 in the second half, the Timberwolves could not complete the comeback. Jonathan Kuminga, playing against his former team, led Minnesota with 20 points. Jaden McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr. each scored 19, and Ayo Dosunmu added 17. The Timberwolves, who started the season 3-0, have now lost two straight games.
Elsewhere in the league, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Indiana Pacers 114-109 in Indianapolis. Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points as the 76ers overcame an 88-75 deficit. The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Washington Wizards 121-111, ending the NBA debut of top draft pick AJ Dybantsa with a 19-point performance.
Source: Al Jazeera
