Golden State inches closer to playoff berth with blowout of T-Wolves

Al Harrington added 18 points, Baron Davis 17 and Monta Ellis 12 for the Warriors, who have won three straight and seven of their last eight games. Mickael Pietrus and Kelenna Azubuike donated 11 points apiece off the bench in the win.

Golden State is one game ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference and tied with the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Lakers, who host the Seattle SuperSonics Sunday.

Ricky Davis scored 42 points for the Timberwolves, who have lost five in a row and nine of 11 overall. Craig Smith had 14 points with 12 boards, Randy Foye contributed 13 points and Mike James posted 12 in defeat.

The game remained close in the opening minutes of the first quarter, but after Smith drained a layup to cut Minnesota’s deficit to two, Golden State netted 26 of the final 38 points in the frame for a 38-22 advantage.

The Timberwolves got as close as nine in the second, however, the Warriors ripped off nine straight points as part of a 14-3 burst to go up by 20, 60-40 with 4:39 remaining.

Golden State took a 68-50 lead into halftime.

The Warriors thoroughly dominated Minnesota in the third and ran away with the game, using an incredible 20-0 run and outscoring the Timberwolves by an impressive 38-16 margin to go up by 40, 106-66.

Garbage time ensued in the final frame as Golden State benched its starters, while Minnesota posted 42 points but could get no closer than the final score.

Game Notes

The Warriors shot 46.7 percent from the field...The Timberwolves finished 42.9 percent shooting...Minnesota visits the Denver Nuggets on Monday, while Golden State hosts the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.