Stephen Curry scores 44 as the Warriors beat the Edwards-less Wolves 119-114

Stephen Curry scored a season-high 44 points on Wednesday night, and the Golden State Warriors held off a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 119-114.

It was Minnesota's first game without Anthony Edwards. The Timberwolves announced Tuesday that Edwards will miss extended time after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, according to the Associated Press. He had averaged 33.3 points through the first four games.

Curry shot 11 of 27 from the field, made six 3-pointers and went 16 of 16 at the free-throw line. He added eight rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes. He scored 17 of his points in the second quarter, when Golden State outscored Minnesota 34-25 to take a 64-48 halftime lead.

Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg gave Curry the help he needed. Lendeborg scored 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting with nine rebounds, the ESPN box score shows.

The Warriors pushed the lead to 24, then the Timberwolves came back. Minnesota scored 33 points in each of the last two quarters, with Jaden McDaniels and Jonathan Kuminga leading the push. Down 116-112 in the final minute, the Wolves had chances to make it a one-possession game, but McDaniels missed two 3-point attempts, the AP said.

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. McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 19 apiece, and Ayo Dosunmu had 17 points and four steals.

LaMelo Ball struggled for the second straight game. He shot 3 of 11, including 2 of 8 from 3-point range, and finished with eight points and eight assists.

Golden State won the game at the line and on the glass. The Warriors went 30 of 37 on free throws to Minnesota's 19 of 27, outrebounded the Wolves 53-42 and scored 54 points in the paint. Minnesota made 15 threes but needed 45 attempts to get there. The Warriors played without Jimmy Butler III, Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Moody and Gui Santos, according to ESPN's injury report.

The Warriors have won two straight after an 0-3 start and are 2-3. The Timberwolves, who opened 3-0, have lost two in a row and are 3-2.

Golden State hosts the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. Minnesota hosts the LA Clippers on Friday night, its second game of the post-Edwards stretch.