Ugly first quarter leads to loss

WARRIORS 116, TIMBERWOLVES 115 >> NEXT: AT NEW YORK 6:30 P.M. FRIDAY, FDSN

Timberwolves attempt to rally, can’t recover

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Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) high-fives guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) after making a shot during the first half of Wednesday’s game against the Golden State Warriors in Minneapolis. ABBIE PARR — ASSOCIATED PRESS

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By Jace Frederick

jfrederick@pioneerpress.com

The Timberwolves have had some ugly losses this season. For a variety of reasons, Wednesday’s 116-115 defeat at the hands of the Warriors may be near the top of the list.

Golden State was sans four of its rotation players in Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and Kyle Anderson and also on the last leg of a four-game road trip. The Warriors season is quickly draining into the tank.

But Minnesota’s start in the nationally-televised bout was so poor that the Warriors had no choice but to take the massive early lead and run with it.

The Timberwolves delivered perhaps their worst quarter of the season -- which is saying something -- out of the gates Wednesday. Per tradition, Target Center fans don’t sit until the home team scores its first points of the contest. They were left on their feet for the first four and a half minutes of the game as the team dug itself a 13-0 deficit.

Minnesota trailed 34-12 after the opening 12 minutes.

To the Wolves’ credit, they fought back from there and were within striking distance throughout the second half. The third quarter was a fouling exhibition, with Minnesota attempting 20 free throws in the frame, and Golden State taking 10. A hot start in the final frame pulled Minnesota to within six early in the quarter. And the Wolves pulled even in the closing minutes.

But, despite Minnesota’s best efforts to keep him from doing so, Steph Curry found numerous different ways to get off good looks in the fourth, and cashed the majority of them.

On the other end, Minnesota struggled to generate good looks when it needed them most.

Still, the Wolves had a chance in the final 10 seconds. Golden State led by two when Gary Payton II missed his second free throw. But Golden State grabbed its 14th offensive rebound of the evening off the miss, the Warriors got the ball to Curry, who buried both free throws to put Golden State up four and give the star guard 31 points on the evening.

Anthony Edwards came down the floor and buried a triple with just a second to play, but it was largely moot. The clock expired on the ensuing inbounds.

The Warriors are now 8-16 in their last 24 games. Three of those wins have come against the Wolves.