The Warriors' injury woes, losing skid continues against Wolves

Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News on Mar 14, 2026

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SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors entered Friday night at Chase Center desperately searching for a victory after back-to-back close losses to tanking teams.

They left the arena still looking for one. Unlike Utah and Chicago, teams trying to lose who just so happened to luck into unexpected wins, the visiting and contending Minnesota Timberwolves established themselves early, withstood a spirited Golden State rally and handed the Warriors a 127-117 loss.

The Warriors are now 5-11 without Steph Curry, who sat courtside while afflicted with runner’s knee, and losers of four in a row.

Brandin Podziemski scored 25 points, and Kristaps Porzingis put in 20 while Gui Santos threw in 17 points and eight rebounds. They had three teammates ruled out with injuries over the course of the game.

Anthony Edwards scorched the Warriors and poured in 42 for the Timberwolves. It was the second straight game the Warriors had given up 40 to an opposing player. Matas Buzelis scored 41 for the Bulls on Tuesday.

Unlike the teams’ two January games in Minneapolis, played under the specter of heavy occupation by federal immigration agents, the matchup in San Francisco was played under more normal circumstances.

The Timberwolves obliterated the Warriors in the first half and led 69-48. Edwards toyed with whatever unfortunate Golden State guard had the misfortune of trying to stop him, unleashing fadeaway after fadeaway from the midpost en route to 20 first-half points.

Golden State put up a fight — lifted by the energy of Malevy Leons and strong play from Podziemski and Porzingis — to cut the deficit to just 13 going into the final quarter.

Back-to-back Santos 3-pointers with 9:00 left cut the Wolves’ advantage to just 107-100, and then Leons took a steal the distance for two more points. But the Warriors, down to just nine healthy players, ran out of steam down the stretch.

The Warriors (32-34) will embark on a six-game trip beginning Sunday in New York against the Knicks.

Draymond a late scratch

Less than half an hour before tipoff, Draymond Green appeared on the injury report as “OUT” with lower-back soreness. Green has dealt with back soreness throughout the season.

He is averaging 8.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, and had recently drawn acclaim from both teammates and the coaching staff for defending Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in consecutive games.

Porzingis took his place in the lineup and started next to Horford in a twin towers front line to combat Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert.

Speaking of that duo …

Twin towers lineup short-lived

The 7-foot-2 Porzingis and the 6-10 Horford teamed up to create one of the tallest Warriors frontcourts in recent memory. When the two shared the floor, the Warriors made it a point to camp one or both outside the lane in an effort to get Rudy Gobert to stray from the paint.

That combo did not make it out of the first quarter. Horford played all of five minutes before being ruled out with right calf tightness.

Golden State responded by playing Gui Santos and Gary Payton II at power forward next to either Porzingis or Quinten Post. Well, that was until Post was ruled out with a left ankle injury in the fourth quarter.

Undersized guards get torched

LJ Cryer had scored in double figures in three of his four games since being inserted into the rotation last week, while Seth Curry was coming off a 13-point performance against Utah. Pat Spencer had just put up 17 points against the Bulls on Tuesday.

But facing a huge Timberwolves roster sporting 6-6 Anthony Edwards and 6-5 Donte DiVincenzo in the backcourt, those players standing 6-1 and shorter were at a severe disadvantage.

The Wolves connected on 11 of 11 from inside the arc in the second quarter, the undersized Warriors unable to bother their taller and more athletic defenders. Adding to their injury woes, the Warriors announced in the third quarter that Seth Curry had ben ruled out with left thigh soreness.

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