The Minnesota Timberwolves (16–9) fend off a relentless Golden State Warriors comeback (13–13), pulling away late for a 127–120 win on December 13.
Here are the key stats and the top performers of the game:
BEST PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Rudy Gobert MIN C 24 PTS | 14 REB | 2 STL | 51.3 FPS
Gobert has been red-hot on offense, going 33-for-41 from the field this month and delivering two 20-point performances. He also continues to excel on the boards, posting his 12th double-digit rebounding game of the season.
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE:
Stephen Curry GSW PG 39 PTS | 5 REB | 5 AST | 50.5 FPS
Curry made a big impact in his return, shooting 50% from the field while also knocking down 6 threes to finish with his eighth 30-point outing of the season.
SCORING MACHINES:
Julius Randle MIN PF 27 PTS | 9 REB | 6 AST | 43.8 FPS
Randle led the team in scoring for the seventh time this season, hitting 11 of 12 free throws for the second time in his last three outings and also scoring 20 or more for the fifth time in his past six games.
Donte DiVincenzo MIN SG 21 PTS | 6 REB | 4 AST | 37.2 FPS
DiVincenzo put up his best scoring performance this month and his fourth 20-point outing of the season while continuing to provide solid impact in other areas, posting at least 7 RA in his last eight games.
STAT SPECIALIST:
Jimmy Butler GSW SF 15 PTS | 8 REB | 5 AST | 34.1 FPS
Butler registered his 18th game this season with at least 15 points, along with his third 8-rebound performance in his last four and his sixth 5-assist game in his last seven outings.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT:
Terrence Shannon Jr. MIN SG 4 REB | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 25.3 FPS
Shannon was a big part of the rotation today and made the most of his opportunity, providing solid value in multiple categories. He was also more impactful on defense, finishing with a season-best 3 stocks.
THE SHARPSHOOTER:
Naz Reid MIN C 18 PTS | 3-7 3PT | 7 AST | 36.3 FPS
Reid converted at least 3 three-pointers and scored at least 15 points for the fifth time in his last six games while also adding a season-high output in playmaking.
THE X-FACTOR:
Quinten Post GSW C 16 PTS | 6 REB | 3 AST | 26.7 FPS
Post has been on target from three in his last two games, knocking down at least 4 triples and scoring at least 15 in both games.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Pat Spencer GSW PG 12 PTS | 5 REB | 4 AST | 28.0 FPS
Spencer continues his stellar run, averaging 15.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists in five games this month.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE GAME:
Buddy Hield GSW SG 6 PTS | 2 REB | 2 AST
Buddy started the month strong, hitting multiple threes and scoring in double-digits in each of his first three games. But he slowed down, delivering subpar performances in his last two games.
