Stephen Curry's 44-point performance propelled the Golden State Warriors to a 119-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. Despite a massive 24-point lead in the third quarter, the Warriors nearly surrendered the game at Target Center.
Stephen Curry's 44 points and 16 free throws
The Golden State Warriors secured a narrow win thanks to a dominant night from Stephen Curry, who led all scorers with 44 points. According to the report, Curry's efficiency at the line—converting 16 free throws—was critical in maintaining a lead that threatened to evaporate in the final minutes of the game.
While the Warriors improved their season record to 2-3 and finished their road trip with a 2-1 mark, the victory was far from comfortable. The Golden State Warriors found themselves in a high-scoring "track meet" that favored the younger, more athletic Minnesota Timberwolves, who were playing without star Anthony Edwards.
The 73-50 lead and the four-turnover meltdown
The game's momentum shifted violently early in the second half. After Stephen Curry put the Golden State Warriors up 73-50, the team suffered a catastrophic lapse in composure. As reported,the Warriors committed four turnovers in just over two minutes, including a lost ball by Draymond Green and two pickups of Yaxel Lendeborg.
Head coach Steve Kerr described this stretch as the moment the game became "wild and crazy," suggesting that the Golden State Warriors began attempting overly complex plays rather than sticking to solid fundamentals. This mental lapse allowed the Minnesota Timberwolves to mount a furious rally, including 10 second-half three-pointers compared to only one for Golden State.
Yaxel Lendeborg's 7 turnovers and the ball-handling gap
Yaxel Lendeborg provided a scoring spark with 26 points and nine rebounds, marking his third consecutive game with at least 25 points. However, the 6-foot-9 Lendeborg also struggled significantly under pressure, committing a career-high seven turnovers. This performance served as a reality check regarding his ability to handle the ball against elite NBA defenders.
The struggle was most evident during crunch time. The Golden State Warriors endured a sequence of four possessions where they scored only one point, characterized by wild shots from Stephen Curry and Yaxel Lendeborg and a fluky turnover by Draymond Green. These errors nearly allowed the Minnesota Timberwolves to tie the game, saved only by two missed wide-open threes from Jaden McDaniels.
Three double-digit fourth-quarter leads in five games
This near-collapse is part of a troubling pattern for the Golden State Warriors, who have held double-digit leads in the fourth quarter in three of their first five games this season.. This echoes a recent loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, where Golden State led 106-94 with under four minutes remaining before allowing a devastating 17-0 run.
The recurring issue raises a critical question: who should be managing the ball in the final minutes? While Stephen Curry is the primary option, the report notes that Brandon Williams' speed and handle might make him a better candidate to bring the ball up and avoid the traps that plagued the Warriors against both Memphis and Minnesota.
A 2-3 record heading into the Lakers matchup
Despite the win, the Golden State Warriors remain in a state of transition.. The team is currently balancing its status as the NBA's most veteran squad with the implementation of a new offensive system and new player roles. Steve Kerr has indicated that the team's current struggles are part of a learning process that should evolve by the end of the season.
The Golden State Warriors will look to prove they can close games more professionally when they face the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. The objective for Steve Kerr and his squad will be to eliminate the sloppy turnovers that have turned routine leads into high-stress survival acts.
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