Steph Curry Shines with 44 Points in Warriors’ Victory

MINNEAPOLIS — At 38, Steph Curry continues to showcase skills that are truly unique. One standout moment came when he scored 17 points in just six minutes, highlighted by a remarkable 31-foot shot that effortlessly swished through the net.

He ended up with 44 points, which were crucial as the Warriors edged past the Timberwolves, despite having a comfortable 24-point lead after halftime. This game marked Minnesota’s first outing since Anthony Edwards was informed that he would need knee surgery.

With this impressive scoring performance, Curry recorded his first 40-point game of the season, placing him alongside LeBron James in a rare group. This was his 15th career 40-point game since turning 35, tying him with James for the most in NBA history.

“I just see him doing what Steph Curry does,” said coach Steve Kerr after the tight 119-114 win. “Having watched him for so long, it never shocks me when he gets hot. What’s special is that it can happen at any moment.”

Initially, Curry struggled, starting the game with just two baskets in eight attempts. However, he hit his first three-pointer three minutes into the second quarter, followed by another on the next possession, which he celebrated by shouting at the Warriors’ bench.

From that point onward, Curry found his rhythm, hitting six of his next eight shots and scoring 19 points, helping the Warriors to a 64-48 lead by halftime.

Even as the Warriors extended their lead to as much as 78-54 in the third quarter, they needed Curry’s continued contributions to secure the win against a shorthanded Timberwolves team.

Interestingly, he scored 16 of his points from the free-throw line, including a dozen in the second half, helping maintain the gap against Minnesota. This marked his second-highest free throw total ever in a game.

Curry has reached the free-throw line 16 times in three other instances, but this game — during his 1,073rd career game — was the first time he made all of them.

“They were pressuring pretty much all the way out to half court, so you’re gonna have those driving lanes,” Curry mentioned. “I’m thankful that it helped us during those moments when we needed easy points.”

Curry continues to amaze, doing things one wouldn’t typically expect from a star player in only the fifth game of their 18th season—especially one who dealt with injuries the previous year, limiting him to the fewest games in his career.

In a notable moment, he dove for a loose ball early in the second half, narrowly avoiding a collision with LaMelo Ball. Curry remarked that he wasn’t even focused on his injured knee.

“That’s more indicative of how good I feel, given my age and experience and how last season went,” he said. “In those moments, you’re just playing basketball instinctively, and that’s what happened.”

By the time he exited with just over nine minutes left and the Warriors ahead 100-87, Curry had already notched his 40 points. He played 26 minutes and although Kerr would likely have preferred to rest him more, the coaching staff has been managing his playing time closely due to previous knee issues.

He finished just 25 seconds short of the limit set by the Warriors’ training staff but also achieved another personal milestone—his first 30-minute game of the season.

“I honestly didn’t know until after the game, which was nice to just be focused on the moment and playing,” Curry said. “It felt different when I got hot in the second, having to stretch my minutes a bit longer. It’s great to keep building and feeling good coming out of it.”