Warriors takeaways: What we learned from 143-123 win over Timberwolves

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SAN FRANCISCO -- Five days after an uneven performance in the preseason opener, the Warriors looked like a team starting to become familiar with its parts.

With Steph Curry scoring 40 points and the Warriors moving the ball with much more precision, totaling 34 assists, they coasted to a 143-123 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves before a sellout crowd (18,064) Thursday night at Chase Center.

Here are three quick takeaways from Game 2 of the preseason:

Curry is ready ... sort of

Based on Curry’s showing in this game, he’s ready for the season and only needs the remaining preseason games to become better acquainted with his new teammates.

He owned the first quarter, scoring 17 of the team’s 35 points while playing all 12 minutes.

He also owned the third quarter scoring 16 points in fewer than seven minutes, with coach Steve Kerr summoning him to the bench with 4:43 left in the quarter. Curry was done for the night.

He finished with 40 points -- in 25 minutes -- on 14-of-19 shooting from the field, including 6-of-9 from deep and 6-of-6 from the line. He added six assists, six rebounds, two steals and a block. He was plus-18.

Curry was atrocious in one area: turnovers. He committed five, including a couple so reckless he slapped his own temples almost immediately, suggesting getting in sync with his teammates is a work in progress and will be for a while.

Triplets might be small, but they can score

I asked Steve Kerr on Tuesday if he might use a lineup in which D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Poole both join Curry.

“We’d be extremely small, and we’d be vulnerable defensively,” he said. “But we’d be pretty explosive offensively. So, I have no idea. We’ll see.”

We saw. The three guards, none taller than 6-foot-5, shared the court with Draymond Green and Marquese Chriss. That quintet played the final 3:12 of the first half and outscored Minnesota 12-11 over that span.

The trio combined for all 12 of those points, with Curry scoring seven points, Russell three and Poole two. The Timberwolves managed two field goals during that same stretch.

With Curry and Russell (16 points) as proven scorers, and Poole (19 points) looking as he’ll be fine on offense, there is a good chance we’ll see more of that lineup.

Glenn Robinson III takes his turn

The Warriors’ search for a starter at small forward began with Alfonzo McKinnie in the preseason opener and moved on to Glenn Robinson III against the Timberwolves.

This doesn’t mean McKinnie is out of the competition. Rather, it indicates coach Kerr is giving both men a chance. Alec Burks, the third candidate, also will get an opportunity, assuming he heals from a sprained right ankle sustained in practice last week.

Robinson did OK, scoring 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 1-of-2 from deep. He added four rebounds and two assists. Playing 20 minutes, he looked confident and decisive in his movements on offense, though less so on defense.

If you’re looking for a highlight, he provided one in the fourth quarter. Robinson anticipated a Noah Vonleh passed near midcourt, swiping it and racing in for a dunk that fired up the crowd and prompted a Minnesota timeout.

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