Warriors hold off Timberwolves 119-114 as Stephen Curry scores season-high 44

Stephen Curry scored a season-high 44 points, and the Golden State Warriors held off a late Minnesota push for a 119-114 win over the Timberwolves on Wednesday night at Target Center in Minneapolis. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg added 26 points, according to the Associated Press.

The Warriors have now won two straight after an 0-3 start and are 2-3. Minnesota, playing without injured star Anthony Edwards, has lost two in a row after opening 3-0.

Warriors vs. Timberwolves: How did the game go?

Golden State built the game in the first half and spent the second half protecting it. The Warriors scored 30 and 34 points in the first two quarters for a 64-48 halftime lead, per the official box score, and led by as many as 24.

Minnesota opened with an 8-0 run and won the second half 66-55, but never fully caught up. Warriors.com reported the Wolves cut the lead to three late in the fourth quarter. Lendeborg’s running dunk off a Curry pass made it 115-104 with 2:16 left, according to NBA.com, and Lendeborg grabbed a key defensive rebound with 7.6 seconds remaining to help seal it, NBC Sports Bay Area said.

Golden State won the free-throw battle 35-27 and the rebounding battle 52-42, per NBC Sports Bay Area.

How many points did Stephen Curry score?

Forty-four, on 11-for-27 shooting, including 6-for-16 from 3-point range and a perfect 16-for-16 from the free-throw line. He added eight rebounds and six assists.

The second quarter was the headline. Curry scored 19 points in the period, making five 3-pointers, and at one point scored the Warriors’ first 11 points of the quarter, according to Warriors.com. NBC Sports Bay Area described Wolves coach Chris Finch rotating defenders, including Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu, and mixing in a box-and-one look to slow him.

Some numbers from the team’s recap:

• It was the 76th 40-point game of Curry’s career, third most among active players.
• Fifteen of those have come after he turned 35, tying LeBron James for the most 40-point games after that age in NBA history.
• The 16 made free throws tied his career high for makes without a miss.

Who is Yaxel Lendeborg?

He is the Warriors’ rookie forward and, entering Wednesday, the NBA’s leading rookie scorer at 21.8 points per game, per Warriors.com. He scored 26 on 11-for-20 shooting with eight rebounds and became the first Warriors rookie since Curry to score at least 25 points in three straight games.

It wasn’t a clean night. NBC Sports Bay Area noted Lendeborg committed seven turnovers, calling it the kind of uneven outing to expect from a player in his fifth NBA game.

How did the Timberwolves play without Anthony Edwards?

Edwards was inactive with a right knee injury; he is set for arthroscopic surgery, as reported earlier this week. Former Warrior Jonathan Kuminga led Minnesota with 20 points on 7-for-15 shooting in his first game against Golden State as a Timberwolf, adding five assists. McDaniels had 19 points and eight rebounds.

LaMelo Ball struggled, finishing with six turnovers and three made field goals, according to Warriors.com. NBC Sports Bay Area reported the Warriors’ starters outscored Minnesota’s 88-55.

Other lineup notes

Georges Niang made his first start for Golden State, giving the Warriors their fifth different starting lineup in five games. He had seven points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Gui Santos missed the game with left knee tendinitis. The Warriors were also without Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody, both recovering from knee surgeries, and Kristaps Porziņģis, listed as not with the team, per the NBA’s official game report.

When do the Warriors play next?

The Warriors host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, Oct. 30, at Chase Center to open NBA Cup group play, tipping off at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET) on Amazon Prime Video. Minnesota hosts the LA Clippers on Friday.

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