Warriors avenge loss to Wolves with liberating late win – The Mercury News

SAN FRANCISCO — After scoring a point in five minutes and seeing an 11-point lead turn into a deficit, the Warriors went to a pick-and-roll from Steph Curry on the wing with Jonathan Kuminga on the wing.

Kuminga slid diagonally toward the rim, caught a pocket pass off the rebound and elevated it for a two-handed dunk.

The Warriors want to strengthen Kuminga more offensively and are looking for sets that work. Check and check.

Golden State almost fell into the late game that has plagued them of late, but instead leaned on their defense and scored just enough points to come back against Minnesota.

Gary Payton II singled off Anthony Edwards and initiated a transition break that ended with Buddy Hield’s seventh three-pointer of the game. Curry, who hit Hield in the corner, celebrated with 56.8 seconds left.

That was the game winner. For the exclamation point, Draymond Green threw down an emphatic dunk and borrowed Curry’s “night-night” celebration, hitting him multiple times in the game’s closing moments. To get to the rim, he looked at Rudy Gobert and opened a lane with a Curry ball screen.

“We needed this moment,” Curry said after the game.

They needed it because they had just lost six out of seven. Because of the fight between Green and Gobert. Breaking through offensive struggles late in the game is a big step back to winning ways.

They needed it to achieve a victory. Golden State (14-9) held the Timberwolves to 16 points in the fourth quarter and limited Anthony Edwards to just three in the final quarter as they cruised to a 114-106 victory. They survived a hot night from the Timberwolves by having three 20-point scorers for the first time this season in Curry (30 points), Hield (27) and Kuminga (20).

Shortly after tipoff, Green played peace after Edwards threw Jonathan Kuminga to the ground for a technical foul following a steal. The fact that he was able to defuse a situation against the Timberwolves, the opponent that ended his season last year, was a sign of progress.

However, as a team, the Warriors didn’t make much progress early on. They committed four turnovers in the first five minutes, including an errant pass under their own basket. Golden State shot 2 of 12 from 3 in the first quarter and fell behind 30-21.

Kuminga, who was in the starting lineup and played a more prominent role, started 2-for-6. He tried Gobert on drives several times – a strategy that hasn’t worked for anyone in the last decade.

Kuminga settled in and moved to his spots in the lane and around the elbows to throw buckets. He added three blocks, including one late, to go along with seven rebounds in 36 minutes, which is better for the team. If the Warriors try to give him the torch, he must take it.

“He’s really finding a good rhythm and it’s fun to see him blossom,” head coach Steve Kerr said.

Curry still needs a second scorer to either emerge or join the Warriors, but this is still his team. He scored 15 points in the second quarter, including three tough 3-pointers, to keep the Warriors close.

But after Curry sank a three-pointer from the wing, opening himself up for a handoff from Draymond Green, the Timberwolves ended the half with consecutive three-pointers in response. Golden State had momentum, but the Timberwolves got it back by finishing stronger.

Minnesota’s swarming, hands-on defense, which limited the Warriors to two separate 15- and 18-point quarters on Friday night, held Golden State to 37.5% shooting in the first half and forced nine turnovers.

The Warriors picked up the tempo in the third quarter, turning stops — and even quick inbounds passes — into quick break scores. Payton allowed two shots, then Hield sank his third triple of the game on a sneaky inbounds pass after a dead ball down the field.

The Warriors’ 11-3 win brought them within three points early in the third period.

While the Warriors made their advance, Minnesota repeatedly sank corner threes. They operated calmly from double teams, made the extra pass and made 15 of their first 30 threes.