The Warriors top Minnesota as Draymond Green returns.
Forward Green provides energy on both ends in 1st game since Nov. 15
On consecutive third-quarter possessions Monday night, as the Warriors struggled to shake Minnesota in a mostly disjointed game, Draymond Green vividly illustrated his value.
First, he retrieved a loose ball in the lane and quickly shoveled it to Stephen Curry, who made a three-point shot. Next time down the court, Green dribbled into the lane and cleverly pushed a left-handed pass to Kevin Durant, who also made a three.
That quickly, the Warriors stretched their lead to 12.
They didn’t look like a sleek powerhouse, but the Warriors pulled away for a 116-108 victory at Oracle Arena. Curry scored 38 points, Klay Thompson added 26 and Durant had 22 as Golden State earned its fourth consecutive win. KarlAnthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 31.
Green, playing for the first time since Nov. 15, did his customary all-purpose thing. He collected
seven points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, while roaming the court with typical vigor.
“I thought Draymond looked really good,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “You could feel the force and tone he played with. It was a great, positive first step for him.”
Green had missed 11 consecutive games and 14 of the past 16, all but one because of a sprained big toe. The exception was a team-issued suspension after Green’s lively, well-documented spat with Durant on Nov. 12 in Los Angeles.
Durant, like Kerr, pointed to the way Green accelerated the pace in his return.
“Pushing the ball was key for us, and talking on defense,” Durant said. “That’s when Draymond is at his best, flying around on defense and making plays.”
Monday night’s game marked Green’s first Oracle appearance since that oh-so-public outburst spawned talk of derailing the dynasty. The chatter has faded in the past four weeks as the Warriors sought to regain their footing on the court.
Curry’s return from a strained groin Dec. 1 was the first big step. Now, with Green back, the Warriors had their “core four” (including Durant and Thompson) together for the first time since Nov. 5.
Curry, naturally, played a central role. He scored 25 points in the second half — 14 in the third quarter and 11 in the fourth — to put away a persistent Minnesota team.
“He’s good at basketball,” Kerr said with a smirk. “Nothing he does surprises me, even when he gets off to a slow start.”
As has become their recent habit, the Warriors repeatedly let fly from long distance Monday night They ended up making 19 three-point shots, after hitting 18 on Wednesday in Cleveland and 19 on Friday in Milwaukee.
The Warriors played without forward Andre Iguodala, a late scratch because of right hip tightness. Iguodala had started 11 of the previous 12 games, given the injuries to Green and Curry, and scored a season-high 15 points in the victory over the Bucks.
As for Green, his presence pumped energy into his team at the outset. The Warriors raced to a 12-0 lead, holding the Timberwolves scoreless for nearly the first four minutes.
Here’s evidence of Green’s defensive impact: The Warriors allowed eight points in the first 6:13. Then Green headed to the bench, and they permitted seven points over the next 1:45. That’s not all coincidence.
Green offered several familiar sights. Upon hitting his first shot, a three-pointer, he animatedly gestured toward Minnesota players, as if to remind them they should not leave him alone on the perimeter.
More than once, Green also grabbed a rebound and quickly pushed the ball downcourt. That’s what Kerr envisioned: more points in transition, or more “random offense,” as Green put it.
Of course, the package invariably includes flashes of temper. Green barked at referee Tom Washington after an illegalscreen call late in the second quarter. And when Green scored on a driving layup on Golden State’s next possession, he tossed more lively words toward Washington.
At least he was democratic about it: Green also loudly expressed his displeasure to ref Leroy Richardson after a foul call early in the third quarter. Ron Kroichick is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rkroichick@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ronkroichick