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Wiggins' Two-Way Play and Curry's Strong Finish Lead Warriors Past Timberwolves

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After sluggish starts led to two straight losses, Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr made a switch to the starting lineup on Wednesday night and the Dubs responded with a strong opening quarter and picked up a 130-108 win over the Timberwolves.

The Warriors yielded 40 and 39 points in the first quarters on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. Citing defensive reasons, Coach Kerr inserted Kevon Looney into the first five, and the adjustment seemed to pay instant dividends. The Dubs made eight of their first 12 shots and opened the game on a 19-4 run, leading by as many as 17 points in the opening period.

TEAM LEADERS

GSW

Points Rebounds Assists
Curry – 36 Green – 6 Green – 4
Wiggins – 23 Wiggins – 6 Looney – 4
Oubre – 14 Oubre – 6 Oubre – 4

MIN

Points Rebounds Assists
Beasley – 30 Reid – 10 Rubio – 11
Edwards – 15 Beasley – 7 McLaughlin – 5
McLaughlin – 15 Davis – 7 3 Tied – 2

It helped that the Timberwolves were without their two leading scorers in center Karl-Anthony Towns (22.0 ppg; health and safety protocols) and former Warrior D’Angelo Russell (20.5 ppg; right quad contusion), but still, Minnesota found ways to stay in the game. Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley picked up the scoring load with 30 points and brought the Timberwolves within eight points with 6:45 to go in the fourth quarter with an emphatic slam.

But then Stephen Curry took over, checking into the game and immediately hitting a 3-pointer. Curry would score 12 straight Warriors points to put the Dubs comfortably back in front by double figures. In fact, he scored or assisted on 18 straight points over a three-minute stretch that broke the game open for the Dubs, and he finished with a game-high 36 points.

Meanwhile, Andrew Wiggins, who played the first five-and-a-half seasons of his career with the Timberwolves, had a strong all-around game with 23 points, six rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Kelly Oubre Jr. tallied 14 points and James Wiseman scored 13 points off the bench as the Dubs moved back over .500 (-9-8) with the win.

The Warriors will see this same Timberwolves team again on Wednesday night.

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More Notables …

  • Golden State falls to 5-4 at home this season, snapping its season-high tying two-game winning streak… The Warriors have won two-straight games four times this season.
  • Tonight marked the final game of the Warriors second back-to-back set this season and are 1-1 in the second game. The Warriors swept one set and split one.
  • The Warriors committed a season-low 10 turnovers (previous: 11, twice).
  • Golden State made 38.4 percent of their shots from the field and fall to 0-5 when shooting under 40 percent as a team this season… The Warriors shot under 25 percent from three (23.7 percent) and fall to 0-3 this season when recording such a number.
  • Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the 80-combined free throws attempted tonight (New York with 41 and Golden State had 39) are the most in a single game this season… Tonight also marks a record for combined free throws attempted at Chase Center… The Knicks 41 free throws attempted also marks an opponent record at Chase Center.
  • Golden State made a season-high tying 29 free throws (also made 29 on 1/1 vs. POR).
  • The Warriors allowed a first quarter season-high tying 40 points to the Knicks (40 first quarter points also allowed on 12/22 at BKN)… Tonight marked the third time this season the Warriors have given up 40 points in any quarter (1-2 in those games).
  • Stephen Curry played in his 714th career game, breaking a tie with Paul Arizin (713), and capturing sole possession of fourth place on the Warriors all-time games played list… Jeff Mullins is third with 716 games… Curry has scored 30-or-more points seven times this season after scoring a game-high 30 points tonight… Golden State owns a 5-2 record when Curry scores 30-plus this season. Curry connected on five 3-pointers tonight, bringing his career total to 2,557, three shy of Reggie Miller (2,560) for the second-most in NBA history. Ray Allen is first with 2,973 career 3-pointers.
  • Eric Paschall, playing in his 74th career game, scored his 1,000th career point (12 points tonight)… According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Paschall (selected in the second round – 41st overall – of the 2019 NBA Draft)
    became the fastest Warriors’ second-round selection in the Modern Draft era history (since 1966) to reach 1,000 career points in the fewest amount of games (Gilbert Arenas scored his 1000th career point in his 79th game).
  • Draymond Green recorded eight assist in tonight’s first half, the most assists by a Warrior in any half this season (previous: 7, multiple times)… He was ejected with 1:04 to play in the second quarter (two technical fouls). It was his 11th career ejection.
  • Andrew Wiggins grabbed a season-high tying nine rebounds and tallied 17 points, scoring double figures in every game this season.
  • Nico Mannion appeared in his second-career game, scoring his first NBA point, sinking a free throw with 1:35 to play in the fourth quarter… He dished out a reserve-high four assists.
  • James Wiseman tallied 15 points, the third time in his last five games he has scored 15-plus points.

—> Warriors NBA News

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