Warriors vs Timberwolves classic: Chef Curry drops 40 to carve up Minnesota, Ant-Man's 31 points in vain
In a massive Friday night clash at Chase Center, the Warriors hosted the Timberwolves in a game that had fans jumping off their couches. Plenty of people were talking up the young Wolves' chances before tip-off, but from the opening bounce, Chef Curry put them on notice. The pace was blistering from start to finish, and the Warriors cruised to a big win, solidifying their spot out West.
Curry catches fire, Wolves left gasping
Stephen Curry ran the show, pouring in 40 points and drilling eight triples, leaving Minnesota's guards with a nightmare matchup. The third quarter was absolute insanity, with Curry dropping 17 points, hitting 4 of 5 from deep, including a couple of bombs from just past half-court – what can you do? On the other side, Anthony Edwards gave it everything, constantly attacking the paint and drawing fouls. But when the margin blew out midway through the third, the whole team seemed to deflate, never able to claw their way back.
Minnesota's big men got absolutely worked over. Julius Randle finished with just 14 points on a rough 5-of-14 shooting night, and had no answer for the defensive pressure from Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. Green himself flirted with a triple-double (8 points, 9 rebounds, 12 assists) and added 3 steals on the defensive end, disrupting Minnesota's offence all night long.
Warriors' slick ball movement exposes Wolves' imbalance
Golden State's ball movement was a work of art, something you could stick in a coaching clinic. They racked up 34 team assists, with bench spark Brandin Podziemski cashing in for 18 points on 4-of-5 shooting from three, proving to be the X-factor. The Timberwolves, on the other hand, managed just 21 assists. For large stretches, it was Edwards isolations, driving hard to the rim or kicking it out, but his teammates went cold from the perimeter. The team shot a dismal 9-of-31 from three-point land, under 30%. With firepower like that, you're not going to beat anyone.
For Minnesota, this game was a harsh but valuable lesson. If they want to make serious noise in the playoffs, they have to figure out their secondary scoring options when Edwards gets trapped. Gobert's offensive game has its limits, and the bench doesn't provide consistent punch. Their attack is too one-dimensional. The Warriors saw it, packed the paint, dared them to shoot from outside, and when the shots didn't fall, they ran them off the court.
Diving into the numbers
Looking at the final box score, a few key stats jump out:
- Curry recorded his 8th game this season with 8+ made threes, stretching his lead over the second-place player on the all-time list.
- Edwards dropped 30+ points for the 7th straight game, breaking Kevin Garnett's franchise record – a tough night to be the 'empty stats' king.
- The Warriors shot 50% from three (21/42), while the Wolves were stuck at 29% (9/31). That's the ball game right there.
- Second-chance points: Warriors 17, Wolves 8. Shows Golden State's edge in crashing the boards and making it count.
Next up, the Warriors head to Denver to take on the Nuggets – can they keep the hot streak alive? The Wolves head back home to face the Trail Blazers, desperately needing a win to reset. At the end of the day, this Warriors vs Timberwolves showdown was another reminder that in the NBA, team chemistry and cohesion will always outshine individual talent.