Timberwolves Suffering Highlighted By Kerr And Curry After Somber Minneapolis Night

Stephen Curry scored 26 points as the Golden State Warriors beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-85, yet the mood around the game stayed sombre. Head coach Steve Kerr said sadness outweighed satisfaction, with the contest played against the backdrop of a deadly incident in Minneapolis involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

The meeting at Target Center had already been moved back one day because of events in the city, after a US citizen was shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers over the weekend. Players and staff from both sides then returned to the court amid clear tension in the arena.

Kerr explained that the atmosphere felt unlike a usual regular-season victory, with the Timberwolves due to host the Warriors

again on Monday. Kerr said: "Honestly, what I felt was that [the Timberwolves'] group was suffering, said Kerr. It was one of the most bizarre, sad games I've ever been a part of. You could feel the sombre atmosphere. Their team, we could tell they were struggling with everything that's been going on. And what the city has been through. So it was a very sad night. "

The result also affected the Western Conference standings, leaving Golden State eighth with a 26-21 record, just behind Minnesota. The Timberwolves hold seventh place at 27-19 after the defeat, and both teams remain in a tightly packed playoff race heading into the second game of the back-to-back series.

Team	Conference position	Record
Minnesota Timberwolves	7th	27-19
Golden State Warriors	8th	26-21

Curry moved into a tie for 19th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list during the game, but attention for Curry remained fixed on the situation in Minneapolis rather than personal numbers. The guard described heavy emotions around the arena, which reflected the peaceful protests and calls for change taking place in the city.

Back on track pic.twitter.com/uoUflRtdtEGolden State Warriors (@warriors) January 26, 2026

Curry said: "It was definitely sombre. A lot of heavy hearts. It has been rough. You can feel it, when we got here, the peaceful protests, the unified voice here. You felt the tide had been turned in a positive direction but then you wake up and see what happened. There was no need to have a game yesterday, and it filtered over a bit, as it should. A lot of change needs to happen. I was glued to the TV, trying to understand whats going on. Hopefully the community comes together. "

Looking ahead to the rapid rematch, Curry stressed that this result does not reflect Minnesota’s true level, after consecutive Western Conference finals appearances. Curry said: "Were not going to get lulled into thinking tonight is who [the Timberwolves] are. Theyve been in the Western Conference finals two years in a row. Theyve been playing at a high level. We have to understand who were trying to be and validate tonight with another great performance tomorrow. "

The Warriors left Minneapolis with a comfortable margin of victory and an important conference win, yet players and coaches kept returning to the wider situation around them. The game offered little sense of normality, and the focus within Golden State now shifts to responding again on court while respecting the gravity of events in the city.