Minnesota Timberwolves overpower Curry-less Warriors

Los Angeles: The Minnesota Timberwolves capitalized on Stephen Curry's absence due to injury to secure a dominant 117-93 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.

Bouncing back from a game one loss, the Timberwolves delivered a wire-to-wire win in Minneapolis, asserting control from the opening tip.

Julius Randle led the charge with 24 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds, while Anthony Edwards contributed 20 points and nine boards. Nickeil Alexander-Walker made a strong impact off the bench, scoring 20 points with four three-pointers. In total, five Timberwolves players scored in double figures.

Golden State’s top scorer was Jonathan Kuminga, who put up 18 points off the bench, followed by Jimmy Butler with 17.

Edwards credited Minnesota’s improved defense for the turnaround. “We watched film yesterday and realized it wasn’t just our missed shots—it was our defensive effort,” he said. “We knew we had to bring that intensity tonight.”

With Curry sidelined due to hamstring injury sustained in game one, Minnesota took full advantage, surging to a 25-7 lead in the first quarter that set the tone for the night.

A brief scare came when Edwards limped off in the second quarter with an ankle issue, but he returned after halftime with the Timberwolves already leading 56-39.

Golden State mounted a third-quarter comeback, trimming the deficit to 62-55 behind strong efforts from Butler and Kuminga, who each scored eight points during the stretch. But Minnesota responded with a decisive 20-5 run to close the quarter, pushing their lead to 85-65.

The Warriors were unable to mount a final push without Curry's deadly shooting from beyond the arc. Head coach Steve Kerr pulled his starters with four minutes left as the Timberwolves cruised to the win.

Game three of the best-of-seven series is set for Saturday in San Francisco.