Steph Curry, Klay Thompson Star as Warriors Beat T-Wolves for 4th Straight Win
January 28, 2022
The Golden State Warriors earned their fourth straight win with a 124-115 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Chase Center on Thursday.
Stephen Curry led the way with 29 points as the Warriors improved to 36-13. Klay Thompson added 23 points for his highest-scoring game of the year. The Splash Brothers combined to shoot 11-of-19 from three-point land.
It was the penultimate matchup of a seven-game homestand for Golden State. The Warriors have gone 5-1 so far as they continue to work through the absence of star forward Draymond Green (back), who hasn't played a full game since Jan. 5.
The Timberwolves fell back to .500 at 24-24. Karl-Anthony Towns had a team-high 31 points and 13 rebounds in the loss. Anthony Edwards added 27 points but shot 2-of-11 from beyond the arc.
Notable Stats
G Stephen Curry, GSW: 26 points
G Klay Thompson, GSW: 23 points
F Andrew Wiggins, GSW: 19 points
G Jordan Poole, GSW: 19 points
C Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN: 31 points, 13 rebounds
G Anthony Edwards, MIN: 27 points
Warriors Come Alive in Second Half to Earn Victory
Golden State played a steady first half but went into the locker room trailing by four. The Warriors came out with more aggression on both ends of the floor to start the second half, showing why they are one of the best teams in the league at making halftime adjustments.
It started on defense for Golden State. After getting crushed by Towns in the first half, the Warriors sent double- and triple-teams at him when he touched the ball and limited him to five points in the third quarter.
Golden State was able to fire off on one of its vintage third-quarter blitzes, pushing a higher pace and converting shots at a higher clip. This season, the Warriors have a plus-4.3 advantage in the third quarter, which leads the NBA. They outscored the Timberwolves 38-20 in the frame.
Curry, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole shined for the Warriors. They all did a great job facilitating for each other and the rest of their teammates.
The Warriors were able to hold off the Timberwolves in the fourth quarter thanks to continued effort and energy. Golden State did a masterful job of sharing the ball, finishing with 31 assists on its 44 field goals. It was also a strong shooting performance for the Warriors, finishing 53.7 percent from the field and 58.3 percent from three-point range.
Thursday's game was not easy by any means, but a shift in energy in the second half worked wonders for Golden State. However, it'd get punished by elite teams for slow starts. The Warriors will have to get back to playing with max effort for a full 48 minutes if they hope to compete for a trip to the NBA Finals.
Towns Dominates Early, Timberwolves Fade Late
Minnesota fed Towns early and often, and it looked like we'd be in for one of the best games of his career. The big man poured in 23 points and seven rebounds in the first half to help the Timberwolves go into the locker room with the lead.
Towns gave the Warriors frontcourt fits throughout the first two quarters as he quickly got Golden State's big men into foul trouble. From that point, he was able to go to work against inferior players.
But the Warriors adjusted in the second half with better defense on Towns. He scored just eight of his 31 points in the final two quarters. It didn't help that starting point guard D'Angelo Russell exited the game at the start of the third quarter with a left shin contusion.
The Timberwolves kept fighting, but they didn't have an answer for Golden State's offensive burst. Minnesota also struggled to find its stroke from three-point range, finishing 10-of-44 (22.7 percent).
Minnesota is an up-and-coming team that is still learning to compete against the top squads in the league. While Minnesota flashed some moments of greatness, it just couldn't keep up with the Warriors down the stretch. If the Timberwolves figure out how to avoid fading in the second half of games, they could fight for their first playoff appearance since 2018.
What's Next?
The Warriors will host the Brooklyn Nets in a primetime matchup Saturday. The Timberwolves will travel to face the Phoenix Suns, who have the best record in the NBA, on Friday.