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Rush lifts Warriors over Timberwolves

Apr 23, 2012 - 3:29 AM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Brandon Rush drained the go-ahead three- pointer with 1:09 to go in the game and the Golden State Warriors recovered from a 21-point second-quarter deficit to stun the Minnesota Timberwolves, 93-88, at Target Center on Sunday.

Charles Jenkins poured in a game-high 24 points to go with six rebounds and nine assists, Rush ended his night with 19 points and nine rebounds, and Klay Thompson contributed 17 points for the Warriors, who snapped an eight-game skid.

"We felt if we got stops, they would let us back in the game," Jenkins said. ...I think that's what we did in the second half."

Dominic McGuire and Richard Jefferson donated 12 and 10 points, respectively, in the win.

Nikola Pekovic led the way for the Timberwolves with 19 points and 16 rebounds. Martell Webster added 18 points, while Anthony Randolph and J.J. Barea finished with 14 points apiece for the T'Wolves, who have dropped 12 of their last 13 games.

"They got whatever they wanted and we took bad shot after bad shot," Minnesota forward Michael Beasley said.

Trailing by 15 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, the Warriors put together a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to 68-63 with just over two minutes left in the frame. Minnesota held a 75-69 advantage heading into the final quarter.

The Warriors opened the final stanza with a 12-6 flurry and Rush capped the burst with a 15-foot jumper to tie the game at 81 with 8:06 to go.

Jenkins buried a step-back jumper with 3:11 left to give Golden State its first lead of the contest at 85-83.

Pekovic converted a three-point play with 1:28 remaining to put Minnesota up 88-87, but Rush buried the go-ahead shot from the right corner on the Warriors' next touch to go ahead for good.

McGuire then came up with a steal and a runout slam before converting a free throw on the play to finish off the victory.

Minnesota dominated the first 12 minutes of play, opening the quarter with a 20-8 run before it was snapped by a Jenkins jumper with five minutes to go in the stanza.

The T'Wolves then ripped off eight straight points, and a pair of free throws by Derrick Williams with less than a minute to go gave Minnesota a 32-12 lead. They led 32-17 after one quarter.

Minnesota continued to play well in the second, leading by double digits throughout. Golden State cut the deficit to 12 on two occasions, but a jumper by Pekovic with a minute left in the half gave the Wolves their largest lead of the half, 55-34, and they led comfortably at the break, 55-39.

Game Notes

The game featured three lead changes and four ties...Golden State shot 44 percent from the floor and 5-of-16 from three-point range, while Minnesota shot 36 percent from the field and 7-of-26 from beyond the arc...Golden State put home 13 fast break points to just four for the Timberwolves...Minnesota had the edge on the glass, outrebounding Golden State, 46-45.