Durant: We don't let problems snowball

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES	GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
108	116

The Golden State Warriors are well aware that they last lost back-to-back regular-season games 20 months ago.

The Warriors made sure that NBA record and the 111-game streak continued.

One night after a road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State put together a big fourth quarter to fend off the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-108 yesterday morning (Singapore time).

The Warriors trailed by 10 after three quarters but outscored Minnesota 38-20 in the fourth to pull away for the win.

Once again, a loss was followed up by a win for the defending Western Conference champions.

"It's really one of the most impressive streaks that I've ever seen," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. "That's a lot of games."

Golden State opened the fourth quarter with a 25-4 run, sending Timberwolves fans for the exits not long after their team led by double digits.

Warriors guard Klay Thompson scored 12 of his 30 points during that fourth-quarter spurt.

Kevin Durant added 22 points and eight rebounds, Stephen Curry had 22 points and nine assists, and Draymond Green scored 18 - shooting five of eight from three-point range - for the Warriors (21-4).

We didn’t have great energy tonight. But you could see the resilience in the fourth quarter. Golden State coach Steve Kerr on playing their fourth game in five nights

Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns tallied his 15th double-double of the season, 25 points and 18 rebounds. Guards Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine also scored 25 points for the Wolves (6-18).

STRUGGLE

The Timberwolves struggled in the third quarter for much of the season, but they bested the Warriors 30-18 in the third yesterday morning.

Wiggins had 14 points in the period to lift Minnesota to a 10-point lead.

It didn't take long, however, for Golden State to step up in the fourth and eventually close out the win.

Thompson scored five straight points to start the final quarter, and a basket by David West capped the 25-4 run before Towns scored for Minnesota.

"They're a potent team. It didn't take much for them to get going," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said of Golden State.

"Thirty-eight points in the fourth quarter, that's a problem. They have to be at their best in the fourth."

Golden State looked tired for the first 36 minutes, perhaps still feeling the effects of their 21-point defeat on Saturday and a gruelling schedule that will conclude tomorrow morning after a stretch of five road games in seven days.

Yesterday morning's game was the fourth in five nights for the Warriors.

"We didn't have great energy tonight," Kerr said. "But you could see the resilience in the fourth quarter."

Defence was key for the Warriors in the fourth as Minnesota were held to 36.8 per cent shooting and 0 of 4 from three-point range in the final quarter.

Golden State's eight turnovers were a season low. Kerr's team didn't turn the ball over once in the final 12 minutes, a big reason the Warriors outscored the Wolves by 18 in the fourth.

The Warriors haven't lost much in the regular season over the last two years - just 13 defeats since the start of the 2015-16 season - but they answered each setback with a win.

"That shows a lot about the character of the team," Durant said of the streak.

"It shows that losses don't really faze (us). We don't let the problems snowball." - REUTERS

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111

The Warriors’ streak of games without successive losses is at 111, 16 games longer than Utah Jazz, who went 95 games from 1997 to 1999.

OTHER RESULTS

• LA Lakers 112 NY Knicks 118, Phoenix 119 New Orleans 120 (OT), Detroit 79 Philadelphia 97.