D'Angelo Russell scored 21 of the team’s final 23 points and finished with a career-high 52 points in a road loss to the Timberwolves on Friday.
A career night from D’Angelo Russell wasn’t enough as the Warriors fell to the Timberwolves 125-119 in overtime on Friday night in Minnesota.
Russell scored the final 14 points of regulation for the Dubs, but the Warriors weren’t able to create enough separation, and Minnesota went on an 8-2 run over the final two minutes to tie the game and force overtime. And after the Warriors held the lead for all but the final seconds of the fourth quarter, they played from behind for all but a few moments of the extra period.
TEAM LEADERS
Russell, who had missed the prior three games with a sprained right ankle, finished with a career-high 52 points, including 35 in the second half. Of Russell’s 19 made shots, seven were 3-pointers, including a deep one in transition in the final moments of the third quarter. That trey gave the Dubs a six-point advantage, and the Dubs struck first in the fourth period to push their lead to eight, the largest differential of the game for either team.
But the Timberwolves wouldn’t go away. Andrew Wiggins was a big reason for that with 40 points, and the Dubs’ lack of defensive rebounding was another. Minnesota grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and had a 35-13 advantage in second chance points, and it was a pair of Minnesota putbacks in overtime that put the Dubs behind for good.
As they game entered crunch time, Russell was at the center of the Warriors’ offensive attack. He scored 21 of the team’s final 23 points, mixing in floating shots off drives with perimeter shots off pump fakes and everything in between. The 2019 All-Star guard complimented his 52-point effort with nine rebounds and five assists, making him the first Warrior to reach those totals in a game since Rick Barry in March of 1978.
Alec Burks added 18 points off the bench for the Dubs and Eric Paschall had 12 before fouling out in overtime, but no other player had more than eight points for the Dubs, who shot 41.7 percent from the floor for the game.
Now 0-2 on their current road trip and 2-7 on the season, the Warriors will be back in action on Saturday as they complete the back end of a back-to-back in Oklahoma City.
Also of Note ...
- Friday marked the Warriors’ second-straight game vs. the Timberwolves that went into overtime… The Warriors fell, 131-130 on 3/29/19 at Minnesota last season.
- This was the first game of the Warriors’ third set of back-to-backs this season with the set concluding tomorrow at Oklahoma City… The Warriors are 0-3 in the first game of back-to-backs this season.
- Tonight marked Golden State’s first overtime game of the season… Golden State was 0-4 last season in overtime contests… The Warriors’ last overtime victory came on 12/18/17 at the Lakers (116-114).
- The Warriors made 22-straight free throws before missing their first attempt in overtime, finishing 23-of-24 from the line.
- D’Angelo Russell became the 14th player in Warriors-franchise history to score at least 50 points in a game… This is the first time he has scored 50-or-more in his career (five outings of 40-plus points)… Tonight marked the most points scored by a Warriors player this season (previous: Eric Paschall, 34 points on 11/4 vs. Portland)… Russell became the first Warriors player not named Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, or Klay Thompson to score 30-or-more points in consecutive-games played (had 30 on 11/1 vs. San Antonio) since Monta Ellis had two straight 30-point games during the 2011-12 season (2/18-2/20/12)… Prior to tonight, the last Warriors player not named Curry, Durant or Thompson to score at least 50 points was Jamal Crawford, 50 points on 12/20/08 at Charlotte… Tonight was the most points scored by a Warrior vs. the Timberwolves, surpassing the previous high of 46 points by Stephen Curry, 11/12/15 at Minnesota.
- Jordan Poole has now made all 23 of his free throw attempts (two tonight), becoming the first Warrior in 20 years to begin a career with a free throw streak of 23-or-more makes from the line (Elias Sports Bureau)… Poole is the first Warriors rookie to make at least 23-straight free throws at any point of a season since Klay Thompson made 29-straight free throws during the 2011-12 (Elias Sports Bureau).
- Eric Paschall recorded 12 points marking the fourth-straight game in which he scored in double figures.
- Alec Burks posted a reserve-high 18 points and season-highs of nine rebounds and two blocks.