Curry Scores 44 as Warriors Hold Off Timberwolves 119-114

Stephen Curry scored 44 points and pulled down eight rebounds on Wednesday night as the Golden State Warriors held off the Minnesota Timberwolves 119-114 in Minneapolis. The victory was Golden State's second in a row after it lost its first three games of the season.

Yaxel Lendeborg added 26 points for the Warriors, and Brandon Williams contributed 11 off the bench. Curry had the final say, making two free throws after Bones Hyland's bank shot cut the margin to three points in the closing seconds.

Jonathan Kuminga, facing his former team, led Minnesota with 20 points. Jaden McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr each scored 19, and Ayo Dosunmu had 17. The Timberwolves, who started the season 3-0, have now lost two straight.

Golden State controlled most of the night. It closed the first quarter on a 21-9 run to lead 30-23, with De'Anthony Melton hitting a pair of 3-pointers and Lendeborg adding a driving layup and a 3-pointer. Another Lendeborg layup made it 48-38 with 6:29 left in the half, the first double-digit lead of the game.

The Warriors scored seven of the last nine points of the first half to go into the break ahead 64-48. Lendeborg hit a 3-pointer, and Will Richard and Curry each made two free throws.

The lead grew to as many as 24 points in the second half, after Curry completed a three-point play to make it 78-54. Minnesota then pushed back, closing the third quarter on a 27-15 run to trim the gap to 12 at 93-81. Hyland came off the bench and made two 3-pointers during that stretch.

The Timberwolves outscored Golden State 66-55 over the second half but could not finish the comeback.

Elsewhere in the NBA on Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Indiana Pacers 114-109 in Indianapolis. Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points, and Anfernee Simons added 20 off the bench, sparking a fourth-quarter run after Philadelphia trailed 88-75. The 76ers scored 26 of the first 34 points of the period to lead 101-96, and Maxey hit two 3-pointers in the final 1:10 to secure the win. Joel Embiid had 21 points and 11 rebounds, Jaylen Brown had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and LeBron James had 13 points and 10 assists. Pascal Siakam scored 26 for Indiana, and Andrew Nembhard had 18 points and 14 assists.

In Cleveland, the Cavaliers beat the Washington Wizards 121-111 and spoiled the NBA debut of top overall draft pick AJ Dybantsa. Dybantsa led Washington with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Evan Mobley scored 24 points with 12 rebounds, and Peyton Watson added a season-high 22 as Cleveland rallied from a 13-point deficit to complete a perfect three-game homestand.