Sunday, 6 a.m., Mercedes-Benz Arena, ShanghaiWhere to Watch: NBA TV
The Wolves play their second and final game in China on Sunday night (or Sunday morning Minnesota time) against the defending champion Warriors.
Minnesota got the best of Golden State in the first game in Shenzhen.
A few tidbits heading into Sunday morning’s game:
- Shabazz Muhammad has been great this preseason, averaging a team-high 16 points per game.
- The Wolves held the Warriors to just eight-made 3-pointers in Thursday’s matchup.
- This is Minnesota’s final preseason game before the team’s first game on Oct. 18 against the Spurs in San Antonio.
Last Matchup . . .
The two team’s faced off Thursday in Shenzhen and the Wolves came away with a 111-97 win.
Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with 16 points each. Andrew Wiggins added 14, Taj Gibson scored 13 and Nemanja Bjelica scored 11. Shabazz Muhammad and Tyus Jones added 10 points each off the bench. Jones also dished out six assists in the game.
All five starters, Teague, Wiggins, Butler, Gibson and Towns, played 27 minutes or less in the game.
Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 20 points. Steph Curry added 14 points, while Klay Thompson scored 13. Zaza Pachulia rounded things out with 10 points.
Key Matchup: Jeff Teague vs. Steph Curry
Teague begins his first season in the Western Conference after the last eight in the East.
Last season in Indiana, Teague averaged 15.3 points to go with a career-high 7.8 assists and four rebounds per game. He shot 44.2 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from the 3-point line. In two games against the Warriors, he averaged 13.5 points, 4.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Curry averaged 25.3 points, 6.6 assists and 4.5 rebounds last season while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from the 3-point line. Curry averaged 25.4 points, 7.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds in four games against the Wolves last season.
Projected Starters
Warriors: PG – Curry, SG – Thompson, SF – Durant, PF – Green, C - Pachulia
Minnesota: PG – Teague, SG – Wiggins, SF – Butler, PF – Gibson, C - Towns