What we discovered as Steph scores 23 factors in blowout loss to Timberwolves initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Bay Space
SAN FRANCISCO – Stephen Curry scored 23 factors in his return to Golden State’s lineup, however the Warriors did not discover a dependable second possibility and misplaced to the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-90 Friday evening at Chase Heart.
Curry, who missed Thursday’s recreation in opposition to the Houston Rockets due to lingering bilateral knee soreness, shot 6 of 17 (3 of 9 from behind the arc), made all eight of his free throws and made 4 assists in 32 minutes.
Jonathan Kuminga had 13 factors and two rebounds an evening after outscoring the Rockets for a career-high 33 factors.
Andrew Wiggins scored 11 factors earlier than leaving the sport with ankle ache. Draymond Inexperienced, who had been sidelined the earlier two video games, was reinstated and added 10 factors, 9 rebounds and 5 assists whereas coming off the bench for the primary time this season.
Moses Moody additionally left the sport with a left knee harm and didn’t return.
Golden State (13-9) has misplaced 5 video games in a row and 6 of the final seven video games in opposition to Minnesota (12-10).
The Warriors began properly, struggled huge time within the second quarter, then regarded able to make an enormous run within the third quarter till a referred to as foul modified the momentum. After Gary Payton II appeared to attain and was fouled — a possible three-point play that might have minimize the deficit to 75-69 — officers reviewed the play and adjusted the decision to an offensive foul on Payton.
The Warriors made one other push within the fourth quarter, pulling inside 80-77 on Curry’s 3-point basket with 10:38 left earlier than the Wolves pulled away for good.
The groups face off once more at Chase Heart on Sunday.
Listed below are the takeaways from Friday’s recreation:
DRaymond does it from the bench
Taking part in in a reserve function for the primary time since getting back from an NBA suspension final season, Inexperienced did not miss a beat and cooked up his ordinary batch of basketball gumbo.
Within the first quarter alone, the four-time All-Star had eight factors, 4 rebounds and an help in six and a half minutes.
However it wasn’t all flowers and balloons. After absorbing a tough hit and crashing onto the court docket, Inexperienced stood up and yelled at an official, considering a foul ought to have been referred to as. As an alternative, the referees hit Inexperienced with a technical foul – Inexperienced’s seventh this season.
Ttwo strays
The Warriors got here out sturdy, scoring 31 factors within the first quarter, however then hit a wall within the second half once they have been held to only 15 factors.
Golden State’s offense had no rhythm or fluidity, which allowed Minnesota to drag away and construct a double-digit lead. The Warriors shot terribly (5 of 19 total, 1 of 9 from 3-point vary), had 4 turnovers, scored solely 4 factors within the first 9 minutes of the interval and fell behind by 19.
This was simply one of many worst quarters of the Warriors’ season and it could have been worse in the event that they hadn’t had a brief run within the closing minutes.
My good friend’s buckets do not fall
Buddy Hield was a scoring machine early within the season averaging 16.9 factors and taking pictures 49.1 % from the ground via the Warriors’ first 13 video games.
Since then, Hield has shot a number of blanks.
In his earlier eight video games, Hield’s taking pictures price had fallen to 34.2 %. He was simply 1 of 8 from the sphere in opposition to the Houston Rockets on Thursday, then related on 2 of 4 pictures in opposition to the Wolves.
Coach Steve Kerr did not appear too involved, saying earlier than the sport that it was simply the traditional ebb and move of a season.
Regardless of all this, Hield continues to be closing in on a milestone second. The sniper wants eight extra 3s to change into the 17th participant in NBA historical past to have 2,000 for his profession.
