Understanding the magnitude of GSoM night, the Warriors came out to play. They put on quite a show, hitting a season high 21 three pointers, dishing 37 assists, and playing with a consistent focus (at last!) on both ends throughout the whole game.
Frankly you could take any one of the All-Stars as your Warrior Wonder tonight.
Number one pick
Kevin Durant was brilliant, putting up a triple double with 28 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, alongside three blocks and two steals. Oh, and he hit six of those threes. Is it too late to change my mind?
#KevinDurant notches his second triple-double of the season for the @warriors with 28p, 11a, 10r! #DubNation pic.twitter.com/snwmT73EqC
— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2018
Just look at how all those points and assists come in the flow of the action - he’s definitely fully integrated into the Death Star. (Also hi Ros!)
Also it led to the tweet of the night. Bravo, Blazers.
Our bad. https://t.co/6unnr17EP5
— Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) January 26, 2018
Splish, splash
Or you could go with one of the Splash Brothers.
Klay Thompson was fantastic finishing with 25 points on 7-9 from three. He now sits atop the entire NBA in three point percentage with an average of .457%.
If he finishes there, he’ll be the first Warrior since the last Warrior to lead the league in three-point percentage.
Yes, that’s right you were thinking of Anthony Morrow in 2008-9.
Difficult to imagine a three-point achievement not held by Stephen Curry, but Thompson’s definitely on the way.
.@KlayThompson went 7-for-9 from and helped lift the @warriors over the T-Wolves at home! #DubNation pic.twitter.com/W3oQOEiMW3
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 26, 2018
He sparked off the second best tweet of the night, with this disturbingly mesmerising gif.
☔️☔️☔️☔️☔️☔️ pic.twitter.com/VgBinSsXcM
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 26, 2018
How about the aforementioned All-Star captain himself?
Curry had 25 points, 9 assists, five rebounds, three steals, and another five three pointers. All those worries about his shot earlier in the season look long forgotten.
.@StephenCurry30 posted 25p/9a/5r in a home win over the T-Wolves! pic.twitter.com/6Hzjn86EU1
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 26, 2018
All three are now within touching distance of the 50-40-90 club, which is an incredible feat.
More than halfway into the season, three Warriors have a legit shot at the 50-40-90 club
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 26, 2018
After tonight
Klay: 49-46-87
Steph: 49-42-91
KD: 51-42-89
Dude, what the hell is that on your arm?
Draymond Green had himself a decent night too, with 9 points, 8 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, a steal, while bringing consistent defensive intensity all night against the beastly Minnesota frontline of Karl-Anthony Towns and Taj Gibson.
He even managed to keep up going hard after a fall on a monster-dunk attempt left him with an extra elbow. Seriously it was like if Mo Speights’ mole was exposed to extensive radioactive gunk and transplanted itself onto Green’s arm.
Dray's elbow pic.twitter.com/ivYO1X3QRZ
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 26, 2018
Apparently it’s nothing to worry about and it’s not causing any pain - just fluid in his bursa sac. Still, freaky stuff.
Zaza rules!
I have to give a quick shout to Zaza Pachulia too. He’s had some pretty memorable moments throughout his career - nothing easy, forcing the All-Star voting system to change, and of course winning the title.
But it’s got to feel pretty sweet to be only the 127th player to reach the 1000 game milestone in the NBA. Respect is due.
Tonight marks Zaza Pachulia's 1,000th career regular-season game. He is the third Warriors player this season to appear in his 1,000th game, along with Andre Iguodala & David West.
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) January 26, 2018
Say what you want about him, but Pachulia is a tough, rugged, professional who does all the dirty work to let others shine around him.
Tonight he had a typically solid performance with nine points, six rebounds, and three assists in only 16 minutes, along with some solid banging and bumping against the Wolves physical frontline.
Your Warrior Wonder is...
But I have to give tonight’s Warrior Wonder to Andre Iguodala. He’s not had the best of seasons, not least as his three point shooting has cratered.
The thing though with Iguodala is you never quite know if he’s playing possum. Some nights he’s still looked pretty spry and has had some nice dunks showing his athleticism isn’t completely gone. Other nights he’s looked so passive you forget he’s on the floor.
For those of us who are still convinced we’ll see the good version in the playoffs, it was nice to see a sneak preview tonight. He was springy and active, bringing energy on defense, moving the ball, making shots and dunking on fools.
He finished with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, and a steal and a block apiece and a plus/minus of +14. The stats may not be quite as gaudy as some of his more illustrious teammates, but the impact was there.
And with Iguodala feeling good, the Hamptons 5 finally looked like the deathly unit we all know and love from years past.
Best Hamptons 5 has looked in a long time. Currently +7 in this run, +11 overall.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) January 26, 2018
Poll
Who was the Warrior Wonder in the win over the TWolves?
This poll is closed
-
28%
Stephen Curry
-
35%
Kevin Durant
-
21%
Klay Thompson
-
0%
Draymond Greenn
-
3%
Zaza Pachulia
-
4%
Andre Iguodala
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1%
Nick Young
-
4%
GSOM Night