Stephen Curry scored a season-high 44 points Wednesday night at Target Center, and the Warriors needed every one of them. Golden State led by as many as 24 points before the Minnesota Timberwolves cut the lead to three late in the fourth quarter. The Warriors held on for a 119-114 win.

Curry's night

Curry shot 11 of 27 from the field, made six 3-pointers and went 16 for 16 at the free-throw line. He also had eight rebounds and six assists. The Warriors say the 16 free throws tie his career high for makes without a miss. It was his 76th career 40-point game, the third most among active players. Fifteen of those games have come after he turned 35, which the team says ties LeBron James for the most 40-point games after 35 in NBA history.

Most of the damage came in the second quarter. Curry scored 19 points with five 3-pointers in that period, including the Warriors' first 11 points of the quarter. His first three of the quarter ended a five-minute scoring drought.

Lendeborg keeps rolling

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg added 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting and eight rebounds. He came into the game as the NBA's top-scoring rookie at 21.8 points per game. The Warriors say he is the first Warriors rookie since Curry to score at least 25 points in three straight games.

Georges Niang made his first start as a Warrior, alongside Draymond Green and Lendeborg in the frontcourt. It was the team's fifth starting lineup in five games. Niang had seven points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in 22 minutes. Gui Santos missed the game with left knee tendinitis.

Kuminga's return

Jonathan Kuminga led Minnesota with 20 points against the team that drafted him seventh overall in 2021. Golden State traded him to Atlanta midway through last season, and he signed with Minnesota as a free agent in September. Jaden McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr. each scored 19. Down 116-112, Minnesota had several chances to make it a one-possession game, but McDaniels missed two 3-point attempts in the final minute.

The Timberwolves were playing their first game without Anthony Edwards, who is out for an extended period after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. LaMelo Ball shot 3 of 11 and scored eight points.

What's next

The Warriors have won two straight after an 0-3 start. They open NBA Cup play at home against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center on Friday at 7 p.m., streaming on Amazon Prime Video.