Timberwolves rally late to beat Phoenix, 98-85

Another rematch between the two teams will take place on Friday night.

With Durant scoring 16 points, the Warriors led 53-43 at the break. On the bright side, Len continued his strong work on the glass and on defense, notching 11 rebounds and 4 blocks. Curry finished with 24 points and made four of his 10 threes, not spectacular for him but far better than the 0-of-10 night he had in Staples three weeks earlier. Since then, Golden State has found the rhythm necessary to become the powerhouse expected when Durant abandoned Oklahoma City to join up with the two-time defending Western Conference champions in July.

When they met Wednesday, it was Walton’s first trip back to Oracle Arena, and the Warriors dominated from start to finish in a 149-106 romp.

These numbers illustrate that these Warriors are many years and exponentially more talented than they were when such coaches as Brian Winters and Dave Cowens were trying to coax wins out of rosters featuring the likes of Bobby Sura, Danny Fortson and Chris Mills.

After receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his sore left knee that will keep him sidelined for a minimum of two weeks, Los Angeles Lakers starting point guard D’Angelo Russell said he was remaining patient and cautious about eventually returning to the lineup.

The teams’ previous meeting ended Curry’s streak of 157 games with a three-pointer as the Warriors star missed all 10 of his three-point attempts.

Top reserve Jordan Clarkson scored 20 points in a rare start, leading a Lakers squad that also got 13 points from Lou Williams and 11 from Larry Nance Jr.

The Warriors shot 52 percent from the field, and held the Lakers to 37-percent shooting. This is Cleveland Cavaliers’ highest recorded points in a single quarter. They were devastating in the transition. Golden State got out of their assumed problem and out-rebounded the Lakers by nine.

Golden State had a minor scare in the third quarter when Draymond Green landed awkwardly and twisted his ankle. That total was the most by any National Basketball Association team since the Phoenix Suns also put up 47 in 1991. Green had a bruised ankle. Their last loss had come when Hillary Clinton still had a fair chance to win the presidency and it was against the same Lakers. There will be no rest for those that are healthy, as they will host the Minnesota Timberwolves tomorrow night.

The games just brought them all together.

Nick Young’s thievery prevented Russell Westbrook from pulling an even bigger heist during the Los Angeles Lakers’ latest win. He will be re-evaluated next week before the Lakers decide how long he will sit.

“We’ve got to be ready to play”. The people who bought tickets should get their money back honestly.

I didn’t expect the Phoenix Suns to try and take me up on it. It was a terrible basketball game. “It’s tough. It sucks to be a competitor and have your face bashed in on a nightly basis, two of the last three games. Neither team practiced, they were without half their team … at least they had an excuse”. At least they had an excuse. We play like 10 guys on some nights.

“That was a handsome exhibition they put on us out there”, Lakers Coach Luke Walton said. “It’s more unusual tonight than it was in L.A., walking into this building, pulling up on a bus, seeing the fans, seeing some of the same security guards, being in the other locker room”, Walton said. The first half featured vast discrepancies in shooting percentage between Golden State (61.7%) and the Lakers (39.5%). “We were bad, and they were terrible”.

Clarkson discussed how the injuries to the Lakers forced him into an unfamiliar setting.

“I know he played through it (against Chicago); I don’t remember the day or for how long, but he was playing through it for a while there and playing good”. “Defensively, we were good all night”.