Defending champion Warriors spank Timberwolves in Minneapolis
Steph Curry and the Warriors heard the Timberwolves knocking on the coffin in the fourth quarter, so the defending champions started scooping more dirt on the grave en route to a 137-114 win in Minneapolis Sunday afternoon.
The Warriors built a 28-point lead in the third quarter before Minnesota trimmed the deficit to 10 with just over five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Steve Kerr called timeout and Golden State came out of the break with three backbreaking 3s from Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
Minnesota called timeout and Chris Finch waved the white flag, emptying his bench to begin resting starters for Monday's game against the Washington Wizards.
Despite the minor drama in the fourth quarter, the Wolves were dead and buried after the first quarter when they were blitzed 47-27 by Golden State. The game was tied 15-15 with 7:32 to go in the opening quarter before the Warriors went on a 32-12 run.
Curry scored 25 points, Jordan Poole had 24 off the bench, Thompson finished with 21, Draymond Green scored 19 and Andrew Wiggins finished with 17. The Warriors killed the Wolves from deep, hitting 20 of 47 from 3-point land.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 26 points, though he scored just four in the first half. Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 and D'Angelo Russell finished with 15. But Russell was a game-worst -32 in the plus/minus. Edwards was -29, Towns was -26 and Austin Rivers, starting in place of Jaden McDaniels (illness), was-24.
