Curry scores 44 as Warriors survive Timberwolves rally, win 119-114 for second straight

Stephen Curry scored a season-high 44 points Wednesday night, and the Golden State Warriors held off a late Minnesota push to win 119-114 at Target Center. It was their second straight win after an 0-3 start, and it moves them to 2-3 going into a Friday home game that can get them back to .500.

Curry made 11 of 27 shots, six of them 3-pointers, and all 16 of his free throws. He added eight rebounds and six assists, according to the Associated Press recap on ESPN. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg scored 26, two nights after his 31-point, 12-rebound game in Denver. ESPN reported that it was Curry's 46th game of 40 or more points since turning 30, an NBA record. The scoring came from the game plan. Golden State kept running Curry through high screens to pull Rudy Gobert away from the rim, and Minnesota's back line never sorted out its coverage. Curry had 23 points and five 3s by halftime.

The lead reached 24 and the Warriors were still up 11 with 2:16 left. Then the finish got messy. Golden State of Mind counted turnovers, dropped passes, missed free throws and loose perimeter defense as Minnesota cut the gap to four. De'Anthony Melton blocked Ayo Dosunmu at the rim, and Jaden McDaniels missed two 3-pointers in the final minute. Curry hit seven straight free throws over the last eight minutes. He has made all 39 of his attempts this season.

Jonathan Kuminga scored 20 for Minnesota against the team that drafted him seventh overall in 2021. McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr. had 19 each, and LaMelo Ball went 3 of 11 for eight points. The Timberwolves (3-2) were playing their first game since Anthony Edwards had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Edwards will miss extended time after averaging 33.3 points over four games, and Minnesota has now lost two in a row.

Curry said afterward that he liked "learning lessons while you're winning," according to ESPN. He also played more than 30 minutes for the first time this season.

What it means for Friday against the Lakers

The Warriors finish the trip 2-1. They lost 131-122 in Phoenix, then won 134-114 in Denver and 119-114 in Minnesota. Over the two wins they've scored 253 points and allowed 228. Now they come home to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, October 30, on Prime Video.

The Lakers handled them 127-105 in the season opener, and they lead the Pacific at 3-1, 1.5 games ahead of Golden State. The Warriors haven't won at home yet. Their only home game was the 111-108 loss to Memphis, when they gave up a 12-point lead in the last three minutes. The Wolves' comeback shows that late-game problem hasn't gone away.

The last two games suggest the Warriors have two ways to win. In Denver, the Nuggets loaded up on Curry and Lendeborg did the damage. In Minnesota, the defense left space and Curry used it. How the Lakers guard Curry this time will decide which version shows up.