OAKLAND – The Warriors got into the playoffs last week. And on Monday night, they locked down the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
After getting knocked down early, scrambled back to their feet and vanquished the Timberwolves 130-120 before a sellout crowd at Oracle Arena.
The win was the Warriors' 50th of the season, the first time since 1994 they've reached the 50-win mark.
Point guard Stephen Curry carried them to victory, finishing with 32 points, 15 assists and five rebounds in 43 minutes.
Four other Warriors scored in double figures, led by David Lee with 25. Draymond Green and Klay Thompson each put in 20, and Jermaine O'Neal added 10.
O'Neal was forced into the starting lineup after the Warriors learned earlier Monday that starting center Andrew Bogut was diagnosed with a fractured rib and will be out indefinitely.
Minnesota star Kevin Love scored 22 points in the first quarter and finished with a game-high 40.
STANDOUT PERFOMER
Curry, once again, was the key to victory. There were numerous stretches during which he alone kept up the fight.
Lee rebounded from a dreadful night in Portland – and an early torching by the torrid Love – to deliver 25 points (on 12-of-14 shooting) and nine rebounds in one of his grittiest efforts of the year.
Green was spectacular beyond his scoring. He added a team-high 12 rebounds, along with five assists, four steals and two blocked shots.
TURNING POINT
Down 85-79 with 6:41 left in the third quarter, the Warriors fashioned a 12-1 run, taking a 91-86 lead with 3:42 to play.
That's how the Warriors took over the game, never losing the lead.
It was much harder to get back into the game, as they trailed by as much as 19 in the second quarter. The Warriors were down 51-32 with 9:07 left but finished the half on a 30-13 run, cutting the deficit to two (64-62).
INJURY UPDATE
SF Andre Iguodala (right knee tendinitis) did not play and is day to day. C Andrew Bogut (fractured rib) and C Festus Ezeli (right knee rehab) are out indefinitely.
ROSTER UPDATE
The Warriors added C Ognjen Kuzmic and G Nemanja Nedovic from the roster of the D-League Santa Cruz Warriors.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Warriors on Tuesday fly to Denver, where they face the Nuggets on Wednesday night at Pepsi Center. The Warriors won the first meeting this season but have lost the last two. The Warriors have lost 14 of the last 19 regular-season meetings.
