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OAKLAND – Scanning the box score doesn't provide an accurate representation of the Warriors' performance Saturday night and it can’t begin to measure the impact of Draymond Green.
But if you go beyond the 110-97 final score and scratch past some of the shinier statistics, you'll find the sources of coach Steve Kerr's discontent with much of what took place – though Green's work was a gratifyingly notable exception.
The Warriors (24-5) were mostly ordinary in beating the Timberwolves. Green, who finished with only four points, was extraordinary.
"I told him in the locker room that it was the greatest four-point performance that I've ever seen in my life," Kerr said.
[INSTANT REPLAY: Warriors end skid, blow out Timberwolves]
There is no recordable statistic for energy, but Green's jumped off the court at Oracle Arena. The Michigan State product performed with the pluck and fury of caffeinated badger, wearing out the Timberwolves and dancing about the stat sheet.
His four points were hidden somewhere beneath the 6-foot-7 forward's eight rebounds and six assists and six steals and three blocked shots.
"He's our heart and soul, and he's the key to our defense," Kerr said. "He switches out on the point guard and gets back somehow and gets the rebound and gets his hands on loose balls. Draymond was just spectacular tonight."
Green was responding to his own dissatisfaction with the way he and his teammates played during the Christmas night loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles. He was most outspoken about the general lack of ferocity.
Minnesota (5-24) was the unfortunate victim of his response.
"What credibility would my word have," Green said, "if I didn’t bring any energy and we came out and played a game where we gave no effort? I knew it was on me to spark that energy and bring that energy."
Green was the catalyst for a Warriors defense that so completely disrupted and discombobulated the Timberwolves that they committed an astonishing 25 turnovers, off which the Warriors scored nearly a third (36) of their points.
And yet the Warriors didn't play particularly well. They shot 46.6 percent, below their average. They were outrebounded. Committing 16 turnovers, they botched several fast breaks and flung numerous passes into vacant space.
"I was dumbfounded by some of the stuff that I saw," Kerr said while also lauding the team's ball movement and ability to create open shots.
[RELATED: Kerr scolds Warriors despite win over Timberwolves]
After losing back-to-back road games for the first time this season in Los Angeles, the Warriors needed some rejuvenation. They got just enough, because Green wouldn't have it any other way.
"I really just brought energy," Green said. "One thing I knew was we didn't need any scoring. We had guys scoring the ball, guys hitting shots. We didn't need that. The game was lacking some energy, so I just tried to bring that energy and intensity on the defensive end."
THE GOOD:
The Warriors rang up 32 assists on 41 baskets, reaching the 30-assist barrier for the ninth time this season.
Stephen Curry, for his countering Green's third-quarter defense with enough offense to secure the victory.
The Warriors, for coming up with a season-high 17 steals.
THE BAD:
The primary ball-handlers – Shaun Livingston, Andre Iguodala and Curry – combined for 10 turnovers.
The bench, which blew yet another chance to maintain the momentum built by the starters by being outscored 30-22 in the fourth quarter.
Backup shooting guard Justin Holiday, who has moved ahead of Leandro Barbosa in the rotation, shot 1-of-6 and missed all four of his treys.
THE TAKE:
After being tossed back to earth with losses to the Lakers and Clippers, the Warriors had hoped to come home and regain their bearings. They did. It wasn't always pretty, but this was another game they managed to win despite revealing some glaring imperfections. For that, they can thank Green, as Kerr did.
The upshot: This was a victory that provides the coaching staff with plenty of teaching material.
