warriors vs timberwolves recap (Photo: Ryan Brown / LetGoWarriors.com)
ORACLE ARENA, OAKLAND, CA — Another game, another 35-plus-point first quarter given up by the defense. Another night at #Roaracle, another game that came down to the wire.
The Golden State Warriors found themselves in the familiar deficit, comeback, and in a position to steal the game, but for the third time in a row at home, did not escape, this time to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle:
Once seemingly a top-flight defensive team, the Warriors have allowed three of their past five opponents to make at least 50 percent of their shots – something that happened only five times in the first 39 games. The Warriors have also allowed four of their past five opponents to score at least 30 points in the first quarter.
.
Still, the Warriors were just good enough on offense to give themselves a chance to win. A night after being named the franchise’s first All-Star starter since 1995, Stephen Curry had 33 points and 15 assists, and David Lee, who took two anti-inflammatory shots in his sprained left shoulder before the game, added 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting.
.
Curry swiped a Kevin Martin pass and found Andre Iguodala for a dunk and a 109-108 lead with 4:00 remaining, but the Warriors’ point guard gave the advantage right back. Nikola Pekovic scored off a Kevin Love miss, and then Curry committed turnovers on two of the Warriors’ next three possessions. Minnesota got a three-point play from Love and a three-pointer from Corey Brewer to grab a 116-111 lead with 2:55 left.
Sarah Todd of SFBay.ca:
Iguodala wasn’t willing to let the game go. He dunked, then hit a three pointer and was fouled with a chance to tie the game at the free throw line — but missed.
.
With 27.9 seconds left Iguodala was sent to the line again, making good on both attempts to put the Warriors on top 120-119.
.
On the other end, Martin hit a contested jumper with 8.4 seconds left giving the Timberwolves a 121-120 advantage. The Warriors called a timeout to draw up a final play, but Harrison Barnes’ wide open final shot fell short at the buzzer.
Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group:
“That’s a heck of a play, and we missed the shot,” Jackson said of Curry, who poured in 33 points and wished he had added one more to his final total of 15 assists.
.
“Your job as a superstar or star basketball player is to put us in position to get us a great look, and he did his job. That didn’t lose us the ballgame.”
“We ran that last play well, but we can’t be in a situation like that at home,” Curry said, “Make that shot, it’s great we win, but mask a bad performance on the defensive end for 48 minutes.”
The Warriors haven’t played well since going 6-1 on the road and winning ten straight games in the process.
“As a young basketball team, you could think coming home makes a difference. No,” head coach Mark Jackson said, “We’ve got to play the same way we played on the road to win those games and we’re not doing that right now.”
Monte Poole of CSN Bay Area:
Five Warriors scored in double figures, led by Stephen Curry’s game-high 33 points. Curry also added 15 assists. Lee finished with 23 points and seven rebounds. Klay Thompson had 18 point, Andre Iguodala 16 – including two free throws to put the Warriors ahead in the final minute.
.
This game was lost mostly on the inside, though, where Lee and Bogut were no match for Wolves big men Kevin Love and Nikola Pekovic. Love finished with 26 points and 14 rebounds, Pekovic with 22 point and 14 boards.
“We’re falling asleep. There’s times where one trip one guy falls asleep and Kevin Martin knocks down a jumper, or you fall asleep and you allow Kevin Love to slip, or you fall asleep and don’t square up Rubio,” Jackson said, “It’s not all game long, but it allows a team to establish a rhythm and then there’s a price to pay at the end.
“You look up and three guys got 20-something (points) and the other guy has 16 and other guys are in rhythm.”
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
