The Minnesota Timberwolves walked into San Francisco short-handed and walked out with a statement. Without Anthony Edwards, they beat the Golden State Warriors 127-120 in a wild game that swung back and forth all night and finally swung their way in the last minute. Stephen Curry, back after missing five games with a bruised left quad, lit up the scoreboard with 39 points. But a late 10-2 burst, sparked by Rudy Gobert’s dunk and Donte DiVincenzo’s corner three, sealed it for the Wolves.

Playoff rematch energy, wire-to-wire drama

This was the first meeting between the teams since Minnesota eliminated Golden State in the second round last season, and it felt like it. The energy was high, the game was tight, and every possession mattered. There were 27 lead changes overall, tied for the second-most in the NBA this season. By the end of the third quarter alone, the game had already seen 23 lead changes and eight ties.

The scoring by quarters told the story of a tug-of-war: Timberwolves 28-27 in the first, Warriors 36-33 in the second, Warriors 28-27 in the third. It set the stage for a frantic finish where Minnesota out-executed the home team when it counted most.

“If Curry drops 39 and you still win on the road without Edwards, that’s depth.”

Curry shines, but the fourth gets away

Curry looked fresh and fearless in his return, bombing six threes and keeping the Warriors alive as Minnesota surged. Afterward, he didn’t hide from the turning point. “So, it was just a rough start to the fourth, but we did battle that group that was out there the last six minutes. Um, you know, gave ourselves a chance and Dante hits a big three in the corner. You can kind of seal it for him.”

Golden State, already without Draymond Green, pushed through a deep rotation. “We’re playing a lot of guys and you don’t have, you know, Draymond, Al in that rotation. So, what we play 11 guys and uh whoever’s out there, you just play with confidence, be aggressive, play with energy,” Curry said. He also pointed to execution and stops: “I think we had some more defensive slip ups than the offensive uh side of the ball, especially early in the game.”

Those slip-ups, especially against Minnesota’s front line, were decisive.

Gobert’s control of the paint and the dagger three

Rudy Gobert was a force inside from tip to horn. He finished with 24 points on 11-for-13 shooting and 14 rebounds, punishing the Warriors around the rim. His late dunk swung the lead back, and his presence changed the way Golden State could defend drives and second-chance chances.

Then came the shot that silenced the building: Donte DiVincenzo rose up in the corner and buried a three with 28 seconds left. It was the night’s decisive jumper, the payoff to disciplined late-game offense. DiVincenzo ended with 21 points, six rebounds, and four assists.

“Gobert went 11-for-13 and ruled the glass. That’s the difference maker right there.”

How the fourth-quarter swing unfolded

Minnesota opened the fourth with a 20-7 run that flipped control of the game. With five minutes left, the Wolves led by 10. The Warriors fought back, trimming the gap to 108-104. In the final minutes, they even took a 118-117 lead, setting up a tense finish.

That’s when execution took over. Gobert slipped free for a dunk to retake the lead, and after a defensive stand, DiVincenzo’s corner three pushed the margin beyond one possession. Golden State couldn’t answer on the next trip, and time ran out on the comeback.

Curry tried to push the pace and keep the pressure on. “You want to be aggressive. Yeah, you [have an] internal conversation. I think we [were] going to score five points up until like seven minutes or something like that in the fourth,” he said, pointing to the slow start of the quarter that forced Golden State to chase the rest of the way.

Star turns and support acts

Gobert wasn’t alone in making life tough for the Warriors. Julius Randle led Minnesota with 27 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, including two threes. Naz Reid added 18 points and seven assists, giving the Wolves steady playmaking and scoring punch.

For Golden State, Curry’s 39 carried the night, but they needed more late. Quinten Post chipped in 16 points. Jimmy Butler added 15 and eight rebounds, battling on both ends to keep the Warriors within reach.

“Warriors had the star of the game; Wolves had the answers when it mattered.”

By the numbers: Timberwolves vs. Warriors

• Final: Timberwolves 127, Warriors 120
• Lead changes: 27 (tied for second-most in NBA this season); 23 through three quarters with eight ties
• Quarter scores: Q1 MIN 28-27; Q2 GS 36-33; Q3 GS 28-27; Q4 swing to Minnesota
• Rudy Gobert: 24 points (11-13 FG), 14 rebounds
• Julius Randle: 27 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, two threes
• Donte DiVincenzo: 21 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists; dagger three with 0:28 left
• Naz Reid: 18 points, 7 assists
• Stephen Curry: 39 points, six three-pointers
• Quinten Post: 16 points; Jimmy Butler: 15 points, 8 rebounds
• Records: Timberwolves 16-9; Warriors 13-13

What it means

This is a confidence win for a Minnesota team that had every excuse built in. No Edwards, loud building, hot Curry. They still found answers. The frontcourt size mattered. The ball movement in the fourth mattered. And the poise on the last few possessions mattered most.

For the Warriors, a .500 record after 26 games and a 39-point return from Curry felt like the start of a push. But without Draymond Green and with 11 players used, they struggled to stitch together enough stops. The path forward is clear: clean up the early fourth-quarter lulls and protect the paint. As Curry said, the defense slipped at key times, and that’s where this one got away.

It’s only December, but the stakes felt bigger. A playoff rematch, a star returning, and a deep team proving it can win on the road without its main scorer. If this is a preview of spring, circle the next one.

Next time these teams meet, look for adjustments around the rim and the corners. Minnesota’s size and timely shooting were the difference. Golden State will chase answers there first.

For now, the Wolves leave with the last word and a win that says as much about who they are as who they can be.