Category: NBA

The film tells the truth. The Lakers are not a good defensive team, evidenced by the sight of the NBA’s top guards blowing past Lakers defenders into the paint during a 10-game defensive swoon that ranks among the league’s worst.

Yet when coach JJ Redick shows his team the tape and then backs it up with the numbers, there’s still cautious optimism that the Lakers can improve.

“I don't think there's anybody in that meeting room that thinks we're a good defensive team right now,” Redick said, “but I also don't think there's anybody in that meeting room who thinks we can't be a good defensive team. We've got to get better.”

In the 10 games since LeBron James returned to the lineup, the Lakers have scored 121.8 points per 100 possessions, a significant increase in their offensive rating of 115.4 during the first 14 games of the season. While their offensive rating ranks fifth in the league during the last 10 games, their 120.9 defensive rating ranks 27th. It’s a dramatic increase from their previous 113.7-point defensive rating.

The most glaring issues are the team’s defense in transition and early in the opponent's offense, Redick said. The Lakers give up 1.19 points per possession in transition, fifth-worst in the league.

Sunday’s game in Phoenix against the Suns, who scored 28 fast-break points against the Lakers on Dec. 1, will be a significant test as the Lakers (17-7) try to avoid their first losing streak this season.

Read more:Hernández: Austin Reaves' quiet 15-point game magnifies Lakers' bigger defensive struggles

Led by Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves — who is out for at least a week because of a left calf strain, the team announced Friday — and the 40-year-old James, the Lakers are not destined to be a fast team on either side of the court. They were outmatched against San Antonio’s dynamic backcourt led by the speedy De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, who combined for 50 points Wednesday as the Spurs scored 27 fast-break points and knocked the Lakers out of NBA Cup contention.

Losses like that exposed the Lakers’ lack of speed on the perimeter, but the team also has shown flashes of excellence against the best guards. The Lakers held 76ers star Tyrese Maxey to five points on two-for-six shooting in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ four-point win at Philadelphia on Dec. 7.

“It’s less of scheme stuff. A little more of urgency,” guard Gabe Vincent said. “A little more of doing all the little things. If you don’t do them, like I said, there are some great players in this league that will expose you.”

One of the team’s top defensive options is on the bench. Forward Jarred Vanderbilt has played only three minutes in the last 10 games. He entered the game against Philadelphia only after Jake LaRavia took a shot to the face that loosened a tooth.

Vanderbilt, an athletic forward, has been a consistent force on defense during his career but struggles to contribute on offense. While he impressed coaches with how hard he worked in the offseason to improve his shooting and ballhandling, Vanderbilt made only four of 14 three-point shots in the first 14 games. He averaged 5.6 rebounds per game before James returned to the lineup Nov. 18, pushing Vanderbilt to the bench.

Before the Lakers’ last game against the Suns, Redick said part of it was a numbers game with James’ return and felt the team would settle on a nine-man rotation. Vanderbilt had tasks he “needed to be able to do consistently to play” even before James returned, Redick said.

But making changes at that time was difficult, the coach acknowledged. The Lakers were in the midst of a seven-game winning streak. But they're 2-3 in the last five games, which have laid their defensive struggles bare, and coaches are “looking at everything.”

“If this continues,” Redick said Friday, “he'll definitely get his opportunities."

After practice Friday, Vanderbilt stayed on the court shooting extra three-pointers with staff members.

Meanwhile, Reaves will be reevaluated in approximately one week, the Lakers said after practice.

The guard averaging 27.8 points, 6.7 assists and 5.6 rebounds has led the Lakers in total minutes played as the team weathered stretches without James and Doncic. Reaves responded with a career-best start. He is ninth in the NBA in scoring and could be on track to earn his first All-Star nod as he enters a critical contract decision this offseason.

Reaves will miss at least Sunday's game at Phoenix, Thursday's game at Utah and a Dec. 20 game at the Clippers. After another game at Phoenix on Dec. 23, the Lakers begin a stretch of five consecutive home games, starting with a marquee Christmas Day matchup against the Houston Rockets.

Etc.

The Lakers assigned guard Bronny James to the G League on Friday.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Warriors' usually steady defense lets them down in close loss to Timberwolves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Missing their best defender and their 258-pound center, the results were fairly predictable for the Warriors as they squared off against the team that knocked them out of the NBA playoffs last season.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, who also were shorthanded and without their best overall player in Anthony Edwards, stormed into Chase Center and dealt Golden State a 127-120 loss to ruin Stephen Curry’s return to the lineup after a five-game absence.

While Edwards was nursing a sore foot, the rest of the Wolves were busy feasting on the Warriors, using their blend of size and strength to completely dominate Golden State in the paint while maintaining a steady and effective presence in the paint.

That wasn’t a complete surprise considering Golden State was without Draymond Green and Al Horford. Green is a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a nine-time All-Defensive Team selection, while Horford is a five-time All-Star who was selected to the 2017-18 All-Defensive Second Team.

The two have been very effective at clogging the middle for Golden State this season but neither suited up Friday, leaving the interior of the Warriors’ defense exposed.

Minnesota wisely took full advantage.

Wolves center Rudy Gobert went off for 24 points and 14 rebounds. Naz Reid came off the bench to back up Gobert and dropped a cool 18 points with seven assists.

“I thought our defense let us down tonight,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We had several plays in transition in both halves where we lost sight of Naz Reid and a couple other shooters. I just thought our transition defense was poor.”

The Warriors somehow managed to make it close at the end but the breakdowns on defense eventually caught up to them.

Golden State had a 96-91 lead with 10 and a half minutes left before Reid got open for a 3-pointer. Gobert later scored three consecutive buckets on an alley-oop, a dunk and a tip-in while DiVincenzo sank a pair of wide-open 3s in the final 108 seconds.

“(Gobert) made his presence felt, obviously driving lanes,” Stephen Curry said. “He was getting offensive rebounds. He was getting those little drop-down passes and everything at the rim. Draymond and Al understand how to make the impact, make their presence felt against him, but we didn’t have them. We had to figure out a way to get it done, but we just didn’t.”

Quentin Post and Trayce Jackson-Davis did a serviceable job for much of the game but neither was a match for Gobert, who had 12 points and six rebounds in the fourth quarter.

Overall, Minnesota held a 66-44 scoring advantage in the paint.

“They played with a lot of size on the floor, and they made it hard on us rebounding and playing without fouling,” said Post, who had 16 points and six rebounds. “I thought we put them on the line way too much. It was a tough challenge for sure.”

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What we learned as Steph Curry's scorching 39 in return wasted in Warriors' loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – For a full three quarters Friday night, the Warriors gave themselves a chance to exploit a Minnesota Timberwolves squad that took the floor at Chase Center without star guard Anthony Edwards.

That quest expired in the fourth quarter, though, and the Warriors walked out of Chase Center with a 127-120 loss that vanquished their good vibes and returned them to a zone they would prefer to avoid. They’re back at .500, with a 13-13 record.

The loss spoiled a spectacular return by Stephen Curry, who poured in a game-high 39 points – 14 of which came in the fourth quarter. Quinten Post finished with 16 points, Jimmy Butler III had 15, Pat Spencer 12 and Moses Moody 11.

The teams stayed within six points of each other until Minnesota rallied late, taking a double-digit lead and holding on.

Here are three observations from a second consecutive game in which Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, though healthy, never left the bench:

The Return of Steph

After missing five games over two weeks with what he described as a left quad contusion and muscle strain, Curry’s return was the subject of considerable curiosity. It was natural to wonder how good he would be.

Quite good, in fact.

Curry put Golden State on the scoreboard with a floater 44 seconds after tipoff, and followed up with back-to-back triples to score eight of the Warriors’ first 12 points.

He tested his agility several times, most notably with a dribbling exhibition during a shuttle drill that led to a circus layup that somehow found its way through the elongated arms of 6-foot-9 Jaden McDaniels.

Curry’s 39 points come on 14-of-28 shooting from the field, including 6-of-15 from deep. He added five assists and five rebounds over 32 minutes.

Steph from way downtown 💦 pic.twitter.com/DhdYM5Tadg

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 13, 2025

The franchise player seems to be OK, much to the delight of the Warriors.

Fourth quarter non-Steph minutes were painful and costly

The Warriors opened the fourth quarter with a 91-88 lead and Curry in his usual spot, seated on the bench for the first few minutes.

After a Moses Moody bucket gave the Warriors a 96-91 lead with 10:34 left, the Timberwolves seized the moment, going on a 17-0 run, taking a 12-point lead (108-96) with 5:50 remaining.

With Curry observing, Minnesota outscored Golden State 14-5 to take a lead and generate enough momentum that never quite went away. The Warriors rallied behind Curry – who scored 14 points in the quarter – and even took a 115-114 lead on a Curry triple with 2:09 remaining. A Moody layup off a turnover pushed the margin to three with 1:58 to go.

The Warriors scored only three points down the stretch, while the Timberwolves piled up 13 over the final 1:48, with Donte DiVincenzo dropping in a pair of devastating 3-pointers.

THE BIG RAGU

ARE YOU KIDDING????? pic.twitter.com/dC3If5pmxw

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 13, 2025

The Warriors were outscored by 10 in the quarter but by one (25-24) after Curry reentered.

Size matters . . . kind of

The Warriors’ lack of size – they are the shortest team in the league – sometimes is a defensive liability, and such was the case on this night.

With Edwards sidelined with right foot soreness, the Timberwolves turned their offense over to the big boys up front: Starters Rudy Gobert (7-foot-1), Julius Randle (6-foot-9) and McDaniels, along with 6-foot-9 Sixth Man Naz Reid. For context, 6-foot-5 Moody spent most of his 23 minutes at power forward.

That foursome represented Minnesota’s top four scorers, as they combined for 86 points and were responsible for the Timberwolves’ whopping 66-44 advantage in points in the paint. Randle finished with 27 points, Gobert with 24, Reid with 18 and McDaniels with 17.

PUT THAT MAN ON A POSTER!!!! pic.twitter.com/6R0TI0zNqt

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 13, 2025

It wasn’t that the Warriors lacked effort. Oh, they tried, as indicated by the tenacity on display to come away finished only minus-2 (44-42) in rebounding. 

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Observations after Embiid scores season-high 39, Sixers beat Pacers without Maxey  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It wasn’t at all easy, but the Sixers moved to 1-0 this season without Tyrese Maxey on Friday night.

They earned a 115-105 win over the Pacers at Xfinity Mobile Arena with Maxey out because of an illness and now sit at 14-10 overall. Indiana fell to 6-19. 

Joel Embiid starred with a season-best 39 points, nine rebounds and three assists. He played a season-high 32 minutes.

VJ Edgecombe posted his fourth 20-point game in the NBA, tallying 22 points, five assists and four rebounds. Paul George had 23 points, six boards and five assists.

Pascal Siakam (20 points) and Andrew Nembhard (18 points) were the Pacers’ top scorers.

In addition to Maxey, the Sixers were down Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain), Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) and Hunter Sallis (right shoulder sprain).

The Sixers will visit the Hawks on Sunday night. Here are observations on their win over the Pacers:

Edgecombe steps up at the start 

The Sixers used a starting lineup of Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, George, Dominick Barlow and Embiid. Grimes’ start was his fifth of the season.

George hit a mid-range jumper on the Sixers’ first possession and chipped in eight points on 3-for-5 shooting, three rebounds and two assists in his opening stint. Edgecombe and George began the night as the Sixers’ primary ball handlers. 

Edgecombe had a very strong, attack-minded start. 

He canned an early pull-up jumper, slammed in a fast-break dunk, and buried a corner three-pointer to give the Sixers a 19-10 lead. The rookie continued playing sharp, decisive basketball and doing damage as a downhill driver. He stayed on the floor the whole first quarter and racked up 14 points in the period on only six field goal attempts. 

Embiid breaks out of shooting slump

The Sixers played Edgecombe and four bench players for the final few minutes of the first quarter. 

On the Indiana side, T.J. McConnell ran the second-unit show and caused tons of problems for his former team. He reached 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting with a three early in the second quarter. McConnell then took a charge on Jabari Walker and Jay Huff followed with at triple that pulled the Pacers ahead. 

Momentum shifted back toward the Sixers after Embiid checked back in. Embiid, who was coming off of a 4-for-21 shooting game in Sunday’s loss to the Lakers, amped up his aggression in the second quarter and found a scoring rhythm against Pacers big man Jay Huff. He worked for post position, sank mid-range jumpers and drew regular free throws. 

Embiid also snapped a prolonged long-range dry spell. He’d gone 0 for 14 for three-point territory over his last three games and missed his first three attempts Friday. Finally, with 1.6 seconds left in the second quarter, Embiid brought the ball forward and swished a three to send the Sixers into halftime with a 63-58 edge. 

Sixers shake off more 3rd-quarter trouble

Embiid didn’t stop shooting open jumpers. Threes from Embiid and Grimes pushed the Sixers’ lead to double digits early in the third quarter.

When the Pacers moved to a zone defense, the Sixers fed Embiid often in the high post. His decision-making wasn’t flawless, but he kept producing and making frequent trips to the foul line. Embiid shot a season-high 18 free throws and made 13.

Yet again, the Sixers couldn’t manage a smooth third quarter and the Pacers put together a run.

Isaiah Jackson stripped the ball from Embiid on the perimeter and then drew a loose-ball foul on him. Embiid subbed out and Jackson made his second foul shot to tie the game at 82-all. A few possessions later, Nembhard leaked out for a layup that pushed Indiana in front.

The Sixers didn’t have much offensive support for Embiid, Edgecombe and George.

Jared McCain had five points on 2-for-6 shooting in 14 minutes. Justin Edwards went 0 for 5 from the floor and played 19 scoreless minutes. The Sixers remained behind when Embiid came back for his final stint with a little over seven minutes to go. 

The Sixers played good team defense down the stretch, limiting the Pacers’ clean looks and avoiding cheap fouls. Their stars came through, too.

Embiid scored a big put-back bucket, scrapping to grab a Grimes miss and converting an and-one layup that gave the Sixers a 108-102 lead. George made a driving lay-in with just under two minutes to play.

Embiid added one more mid-range hoop in the final minute and wound up exceeding his prior season best in scoring by 10 points.

Steph Curry incredulous after being called for foul despite getting thrown down originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry‘s second personal foul of the Warriors’ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday might be one of the worst calls of the 2025-26 NBA season.

Curry was defending Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels midway through the third quarter, and as they fought for positioning, the Warriors’ star was yanked to the court.

One of the worst calls you'll ever see 🤬 pic.twitter.com/zZClbZzzNZ

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 13, 2025

McDaniels clearly pulls Curry and throws him to the ground.

But the referees called Curry for the foul.

A stunned Curry looked at the nearby refs, but the Warriors didn’t challenge the play.

Warriors fans at Chase Center saw the replay on the videoboard, couldn’t believe the call and let the referees know they disagreed with the foul.

Curry hasn’t gotten the benefit of the doubt on calls throughout his 17-year NBA career, and Friday’s call is the latest evidence.

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Domantas Sabonis reportedly prepared to remain with Kings despite trade interest originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Domantas Sabonis appears unlikely to be on the move anytime soon.

The 29-year-old center is prepared to remain with the Kings for the foreseeable future, even as teams continue to gauge Sacramento’s interest ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported Friday, citing league sources.

Signed through 2027-28 and owed about $94 million over the next two seasons, Sabonis carries a sizable financial commitment that narrows his trade market.

The Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns and Chicago Bulls previously have shown “significant interest” in the All-Star center, per Amick, and still are believed to be on Sabonis’ short list of potential destinations. But with first-year general manager Scott Perry preaching patience as the organization attempts to reset its direction, a major move involving Sacramento’s starting big man does not appear imminent.

Sabonis has been sidelined since Nov. 19 with a partial tear of his left meniscus and is scheduled to be re-evaluated next week. Before the injury, he averaged 17.2 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game as one of the central pieces of the Kings’ veteran core. His absence has only added to Sacramento’s challenge as the team continues searching for stability.

With Sacramento sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings and Perry intent on protecting future draft capital, the path to a Sabonis trade remains complicated. For now, all signs point to him staying in a Kings uniform beyond the Feb. 5 deadline.

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Steph Curry incredibly makes full-court tunnel shot before return from injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry announced his return after a five-game hiatus with a bang.

The Warriors’ superstar nailed his signature tunnel shot attempt before Friday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night at Chase Center.

STEPH HIT THE TUNNEL SHOT 🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/xpWZlpxYTG

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 13, 2025

Curry made the tunnel shot famous at Oracle Arena in Oakland, but when the Warriors moved to Chase Center in 2019, he had to adapt the trick shot to the new arena and he turned it into a full-court heave.

The 37-year-old missed the last five games because of a quad contusion and muscle sprain, but after two weeks off, he’s ready to roll.

If there was any doubt that Curry is ready to go, check out his sprint speed after making the shot.

HOW 🤯 pic.twitter.com/aU1nQTCtsM

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 13, 2025

Curry is averaging 27.9 points on 47.1 percent shooting from the field and 39.1 percent shooting from 3-point range this season.

The 13-12 Warriors need Curry to go on a heater as they begin an important 20-game stretch.

Friday’s tunnel shot might be an indication that he is locked in.

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Draymond Green's foot injury has healed, but star to miss Warriors-Timberwolves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The bruised and battered Warriors quickly are getting healthy, and Draymond Green‘s return could be right around the corner.

Green will miss his third consecutive game when the Warriors host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night at Chase Center, but coach Steve Kerr indicated that the star forward could play against the Trail Blazers on Sunday in the Pacific Northwest.

“He should be in Portland,” Kerr told reporters before Friday’s game. “Whether he plays or not, we’ll see. It will have been about 10 days between games. He’s been working, he’s been training. The injury has healed. So, he’s ready to go. It’s just a question of whether [director of sports medicine and performance] Rick [Celebrini] feels comfortable putting him out there. So, he’ll meet us in Portland and we’ll assess him there.”

Green sustained a right midfoot sprain in the Warriors’ loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec. 4 and missed their next two games — both wins — against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday and Chicago Bulls on Sunday.

But in an odd scheduling quirk, the Warriors had four days off between Sunday’s game against the Bulls and Friday’s game against the Timberwolves.

As Kerr mentioned, Green’s foot injury has healed, but the 35-year-old is away from the team for personal reasons.

The Warriors practiced on Wednesday and Thursday, and Green was excused on both days. He also was excused from Friday’s game.

In 20 games this season, Green is averaging 8.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 28.2 minutes.

While Green attends to the personal matter, his longtime running mate, Steph Curry, returns to the lineup on Friday night after missing the last five games due to a quad contusion.

Barring another unforeseen injury, veteran center Al Horford (right sciatic nerve) would be the only player on the Warriors’ injury report if Green returns Sunday.

In short order, Kerr could have a fully healthy roster at his disposal.

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Sixers rule Maxey out for 1st time this season vs. Pacers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Tyrese Maxey won’t play the full 82 games for the 2025-26 Sixers.

The Sixers ruled Maxey out Friday night for their matchup with the Pacers because of an illness. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said pregame that the sixth-year guard hadn’t been able to participate in the team’s activities during their mini-break the past several days.

Maxey was the only Sixer to play in all of the team’s first 23 games. He entered Friday averaging an NBA-high 39.9 minutes and ranked third in points per game with 31.5. Maxey’s also posted 7.2 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks per contest. 

“He’s handled it great,” Paul George said Wednesday of Maxey’s giant minutes load. “He comes in, he gets his work in, he takes care of his body, he does his recovery stuff.

“And just mentally, he’s in a great place. So you don’t really have to worry about him. He’s going to do what he has to do. I call him a warrior, man. He’s a warrior, so he’s going to figure it out.”

The other Sixers sidelined vs. Indiana were Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain), Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) and Hunter Sallis (right shoulder sprain). 

As of an hour before tip-off, Joel Embiid was listed as probable with a “left knee injury recovery” designation. 

Bucks have ‘done due diligence' on Kings star guard Zach LaVine, per report originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings are headed toward a full-on rebuild, which might include parting ways with several of their big-name stars.

One of the players includes sharpshooting guard Zach LaVine, who is in his first full season with Sacramento since being shipped to California’s capital from the Chicago Bulls at last year’s trade deadline.

Now, LaVine could be bracing to pack his bags once again.

The Milwaukee Bucks, who have shown interest in LaVine in the past, have done “recent due diligence” on the 30-year-old guard, The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported in a column Friday, citing sources.

LaVine currently is sidelined with an injury, missing Thursday’s game with a thumb injury. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto first reported back in November that the Bucks had “conducted background due diligence on LaVine.”

LaVine has a $47.5 million cap hit this season, with a player option worth just under $49 million for 2026-27, which makes it “nearly impossible to move him” without attaching draft assets in return, Amick noted.

In 22 games with the Kings this season, LaVine is averaging 20.6 points on 48.6-percent shooting from the field and 38.9 percent from 3-point range, with 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

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The irony of Steph Curry's Warriors return in first game vs T-wolves this season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

One more game, one more day. That’s the thinking that consumed Steph Curry’s mind as he looked to return from a strained left hamstring against the Minnesota Timberwolves last season in the second round of the NBA playoffs. His wishful hope fell short.

Without him, the Warriors lost four straight games after holding the Timberwolves off in Game 1 after Curry left in the second quarter. No extra days together, no more games. No more Curry, no more season.

“Everything was kind of aligned for Game 6,” Curry said at his exit interview press conference when the Warriors returned home. 

A wrinkle in the schedule with the Golden State Valkyries’ own playoff run would have given Curry just enough time to recover to try and keep the Warriors’ season alive. The Warriors would have gone three days without playing between Game 5 and Game 6, but that never became reality. 

Now, as the Warriors and Timberwolves are set for their first game against each other this season on Friday night at Chase Center since that second-round playoff matchup, another schedule twist gave Curry ample recovery to return from a quad contusion against the team he so badly wanted to keep competing against seven months ago. Since the Warriors didn’t make it to the next round of this season’s NBA Cup, they finally were given a stretch without any games after a previous jam-packed stretch. 

The Warriors last played Sunday, giving them a four-day stretch without games. Friday quickly became circled as a return date for Curry, and the Warriors kept him home from their recent three-game road trip so he could stay back and rehab at their facilities. They took Monday and Tuesday off before Curry returned to practice Wednesday and Thursday. 

“I’m feeling great, had a good rehab week,” Curry said Thursday. 

Watching from the bench for two games and back at home for three, Curry saw how the Warriors went 3-2 without him. He took note of the good and bad. Curry couldn’t ignore the emergence of new Bay Area cult hero Pat Spencer, as well as some major shifts to coach Steve Kerr’s rotations. 

How the Warriors responded to Curry’s absence put them one game over .500 with a 13-12 record. The hardest part of their schedule where the start of the season was full of road games and back-to-backs is over. A new test is here, beginning Friday night, where the Warriors have nine more games in 2025 to enter the new year consistently establishing the identity they want to lean on. 

“Nobody’s happy with our record. Nobody’s feeling like we’re a day away from being the best team in the league,” Curry said. “But we also know the journey ahead is right there for us.” 

Curry will be back on the court, but another who would love revenge from last season’s playoff exit will not. Draymond Green missed the Warriors’ last two practices because of an excused personal reason and won’t play against the Timberwolves. The defensive ace was honest and critical at the end of last season with how Timberwolves forward Julius Randle played against him, averaging 25.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game in the five-game series. 

Signing veteran center Al Horford also was supposed to be a resolution to the Timberwolves’ size advantage on the Warriors, but he too won’t be playing against them Friday night. Horford, 39, continues to be hampered by right sciatic nerve irritation and has played in only two of the last nine games. 

Outside of Spencer’s shining star, the Warriors added more reinforcements in the two weeks they were without Curry. The Warriors believe they would have been a different team last season if De’Anthony Melton had stayed healthy instead of playing only six games due to requiring ACL surgery. He made his return last Thursday, one year to the date of his surgery.

Curry’s brother, Seth, was signed shortly after Steph’s injury. A handful of other role players contributed to the Warriors’ successful road trip without their superstar. But one with star aspirations who opened eyes against the Timberwolves in last season’s playoffs now appears out of the rotation. 

Jonathan Kuminga was a healthy DNP-CD (Did Not Play, Coach’s Decision) against the Chicago Bulls in the Warriors’ blowout win to end the road trip. Kerr said he and Kuminga talked before Wednesday’s practice and the coach is happy with how he responded. 

“He had a great practice today. We had a talk before practice and he did the things that I asked him to do and I was thrilled about that,” Kerr said. 

Kuminga received two DNPs in the first round against the Houston Rockets, didn’t dress for another game and was also inactive for one after becoming an afterthought in the last month of the regular season. But in the final four games against the Timberwolves, Kuminga averaged 24.3 points on 55.4 percent shooting with a 38.9 3-point percentage. 

Warriors owner Joe Lacob, sources say, referred back to Kuminga’s performances against the Timberwolves on multiple occasions throughout the offseason when discussing the former No. 7 overall pick’s future with the franchise and holding onto him, for the time being.

As always, though, everything starts and ends with the health of No. 30. 

“At the end of practice today he hit me with like a triple combo and made a rainbow three, if that tells you anything,” Trayce Jackson-Davis said Thursday. 

These two teams are on a path of avoiding the play-in tournament already, even with four months remaining in the regular season. A clear top five in the Western Conference of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers has already come to light. The Timberwolves enter Friday as the No. 6 seed, two and a half games ahead of the No. 8 seed Warriors. 

So much has changed and so much remains the same since the Warriors’ disappointing end to last season against the Timberwolves. Between Curry’s return, the unknown of Kuminga and all the other moving parts of this roster, the irony of the first Warriors-Timberwolves game this season is hard to miss.

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These five factors will determine if the Warriors can make deep NBA playoff run originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

With 57 games remaining on the schedule, the Warriors have plenty of time to rise or fall this season. As they sit in eighth place in the Western Conference, they remain confident in their ability to finish in the top six, thereby avoiding the play-in tournament.

That confidence has not, however, translated into success. The Warriors’ longest win streak is three games, and they’ll be out to tie that Friday night when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves at Chase Center.

Golden State has yet to win more than five games over any 10-game stretch, and its 13-12 record stands as proof that it has not found a rhythm.

There is plenty of time, however, to recover and climb the standings. Here are five factors that could decide whether the Warriors’ dreams make a deep postseason run:

Keeping Curry, Butler and Green healthy and productive

Golden State projects as no better than a play-in tournament team without Stephen Curry. Jimmy Butler III provides a necessary change of pace contrast that is highly effective under certain circumstances. Now that the defense seems to realize intensity is an essential component, it should get even better the moment Draymond Green returns.

Maintain recent defensive awareness and intensity.

Golden State’s defense during its road trip shifted from mostly good to borderline excellence, with a (99.0 rating that ranks second in the NBA over that short span. Despite the absence of Green, the energy was palpable, with Pat Spencer and De’Anthony Melton baring fangs. If the Warriors, currently second in defensive rating, remain at that level the offense will benefit.

Reaching a positive resolution to the ongoing Kuminga saga

The Warriors tried to move Jonathan Kuminga last summer, and he embraced having a fresh start. Didn’t happen. He signed a handsome contract during training camp, but the investment isn’t looking good. Unfortunately, a trade is the only conclusion for such incompatibility.

The availability of Horford and Melton

Though neither owns star status and both will have their minutes monitored, the availability of Al Horford and Melton is imperative. Horford has appeared in 13 of 25 games, slightly more than 50 percent. If he can push it to around 80 percent over the rest of the season – and be fresh for the playoffs – the Warriors will take it. As for Melton, we saw Golden State dip when he went down last season. He’s Curry’s best sidekick since prime Klay Thompson, and the quiet key to any rise in the standings.

“He’s a guy that understands what this level is all about, and he has a way of making the game very simple,” Curry said Thursday. “He’s a good shooter, can knock them down when he’s open. He can put the ball on the floor, play pick-and-roll, create on the backside. And, obviously, defensively, we know what he does, disrupting the ball. Just a prototypical like NBA two guard that can do a little bit of everything.”

A semblance of consistency from the role players

Green and Butler have been trying to coax the youngsters toward proficiency, and there it was on the road trip. Quinten Post and Spencer provided a boost. Buddy Hield’s missing shot made an appearance. Brandin Podziemski showed signs of recovering from his early-season slumber. Moses Moody, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Will Richard contributed. Gary Payton II continues to search for his best self.

It’s unreasonable to expect the entire crew to be consistently outstanding, but if any two or three can bring something to every game, it’s a win for the Warriors.

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