Warriors Flip the Script with Relentless Defense, Blow Out Timberwolves on the Road
For years, the Golden State Warriors have lived and died by their own hand-electrifying offense, yes, but also maddening turnovers that too often came back to bite them. Not this time. On Sunday night in Minnesota, it was the Timberwolves who looked out of sync and overwhelmed, coughing up the ball 26 times as the Warriors rolled to a dominant 111-85 win at Target Center.
This wasn’t just a win-it was a statement. Golden State, still adjusting in the wake of Jimmy Butler’s season-ending ACL injury, leaned into its defense and found a rhythm that’s eluded them for much of the season.
The result? A wire-to-wire performance that saw them seize control early and never truly let go.
Defense Sets the Tone Early
The Timberwolves’ turnover troubles started almost immediately. Seven giveaways in the first six minutes set an ominous tone, and by halftime, they’d already racked up 16. Golden State’s defense was locked in-active hands, sharp rotations, and a commitment to pressure that forced Minnesota into mistake after mistake.
And while the Warriors didn’t exactly capitalize on every opportunity-missing the shot creation Butler might have provided and with Jonathan Kuminga sidelined-they still managed to build a lead that felt larger than the scoreboard suggested. Even a 10-0 Timberwolves run to close the first half, trimming the deficit to one, didn’t rattle Golden State.
Instead, the Warriors came out of the break with their best quarter of the season.
Third-Quarter Surge Leaves No Doubt
Golden State exploded out of the locker room with a 38-17 third-quarter blitz that completely flipped the game on its head. The defense stayed aggressive, the offense found its flow, and suddenly the Warriors were in cruise control. It was the kind of all-around effort that allowed veterans like Stephen Curry and Draymond Green to conserve energy on the front end of a back-to-back.
Curry led the way with 26 points and seven assists, but this wasn’t one of those nights where he had to play superhero. The two-time MVP shot just 7-of-18 from the field and 3-of-10 from deep, yet still managed to tie for the team lead in steals with four in under 28 minutes of action.
Supporting Cast Steps Up
With Curry not quite at his sharpest, others stepped up. Moses Moody had one of his most impactful games of the season, knocking down 5-of-9 from three on his way to 19 points and eight rebounds. De’Anthony Melton and Brandin Podziemski each added 12 points, while veteran Al Horford chipped in 10 points and five boards in just his second start of the year.
The Warriors shot just 31.4% from beyond the arc as a team, but their defense more than made up for it. They racked up 20 steals on the night-yes, 20-and turned those into 22 fast-break points. It was a defensive clinic, and it completely suffocated a Timberwolves offense that never found its footing.
Edwards Shines... and Struggles
Anthony Edwards was the lone bright spot for Minnesota, finishing with 32 points and 11 rebounds. But even he wasn’t immune to the chaos. The young star committed a career-high eight turnovers, a number that perfectly captured the Wolves’ night: high effort, low execution.
A Much-Needed Momentum Shift
For Golden State, this win couldn’t have come at a better time. After a tough week and with Butler sidelined for the season, the Warriors needed a spark-and they got one. Now sitting at 26-21, they’ll look to carry that energy into Monday’s rematch with Minnesota.
If the defense shows up like it did Sunday, they just might be onto something.