Minneapolis (AP) Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 119–99 victory over the worn-out Golden State Warriors, who played without Steph Curry and Drummond Green on Sunday night.
Jaylen Nouvel scored 17 points and Malik Beasley added to 16 with five second-half 3-pointers on a particularly productive night in reserve for the Timberwolves, which saw a Warriors team go from 40–19 overs to a four-game journey. terminated. Last 16 minutes.
"We're really close. We love to see each other succeed. That right is one of the hardest things to find in teams, I think,'" Novell said. "None of us on the team are selfish."
Jordan Poole scored 20 points for the Warriors and 19 points to Jonathan Cuminga, who had lost for the fifth time in seven matches. He missed out on 16 consecutive shots in the second half.
"We're in a tough situation like every team faces every year, and it's our time right now with some injuries," said coach Steve Kerr. ''Then it's fine. We'll bounce back."
Even without the defense of Curry, who hurt his right hand on Friday, it was a game of a measuring stick for the Timberwolves team that has made remarkable progress but still had a hard time maturing into a consistent winner. There's plenty of room for it. They are now tied for seventh place in the Western Conference.
"We don't want to be just in the play-in game. We want to go to the playoffs. We're trying to figure out how to get a nice little winning streak to get us over the hump,'" Beasley said.
Having missed the playoffs over the past two seasons after five consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals, the Warriors have the second-best record in the league—2 1/2 games behind Pacific Division rival Phoenix. They are in a bit of a rut without Greene and Klay Thompson working the rhythm back after 2 1/2 years.
Rookie Kuminga and veteran Otto Porter Jr. play big roles on the frontcourt with Kevon Looney, with the Warriors earning Towns early. He scored 8 runs for 10 wickets giving 10 runs for 10 runs.
"Got some more, got some lay-ups, used my finishing ability. For this team to grow, I have to grow too,'" Towns said.
Work your way
Thompson's return from his latest injury last week, a torn Achilles tendon, gave the Warriors a midseason energy boost, which is being exercised in moderation. Thompson, who rested on Friday after playing 20 minutes the night before, shot 14 for 5 to finish with 13 points in 23 minutes.
"You can't trust what I say, because I say I can play 40 minutes, but I'm not a sports scientist," Thompson said. "That's our training staff. I trust him, and I just don't want to get more excited in my fourth game. I want to reach the top in time for the playoffs.
Wounded warrior
Greene missed his fourth straight game with a tightness in his left calf, and the Warriors announced he would be sidelined for at least two more weeks before another evaluation. His injury has been determined to be tied to a disc problem in his lower back, and Kerr said he believes a cautious approach would be best for the 10th-year veteran.
On the bright side, Curry avoided a serious injury, experiencing only pain after a hard fall on his right arm on Friday. He went home early for treatment and got a chance to play on Tuesday.
Tip-ins
Warriors: Backup point guard Gary Payton II sat out with a lower back cramp, his second straight absence. ... Looney made 12 rebounds in the second game in a row.
Timberwolves: Towns had their 11th game of more than 25 points and more than 10 rebounds this season. ... Minnesota extended the NBA's longest active streak to 39 straight games with more than 10 forced turnovers.
Next
Warriors: Host Detroit on Tuesday night to start a seven-game homestand. They are 18-3 at Chase Arena this season.
Timberwolves: Tuesday night in New York. They are in a four-week period from December 31-January. 28 with 12 of his 15 games on the road.