Stephen Curry Scores 44 on 16-for-16 Free Throws and Ties LeBron for Most 40-Point Games Since Turning 35

Photo: Official NBA headshot (cdn.nba.com).

Stephen Curry scored 44 points in Golden State's 119-114 win at Minnesota on Wednesday, going 16-for-16 at the free-throw line and hitting six threes. Warriors.com reports it was his 15th 40-point game since he turned 35, tying LeBron James for the most 40-point games since turning that age in NBA history. Sporting News reports the night ran his season-opening free-throw streak to 39 straight makes.

The Warriors have won two in a row after an 0-3 start. The NBA's official injury report listed Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody out and Kristaps Porzingis out as not with the team. Athlon Sports reported Butler and Moody are recovering from knee surgeries. Georges Niang made his first start as a Warrior, and Warriors.com reports it was the team's fifth different starting lineup in five games.

The line that carried the shooting night

Curry went 11-for-27 from the field with six threes. The other 16 points came at the stripe.

By our count, 16 of his 44 points, or 36.4 percent, came on free throws. By our count, his true shooting percentage was 64.6 percent on a night he made 11 of 27 shots from the field. Warriors.com reports the 16 makes tied his career high for free throws without a miss.

One quarter, two games

The game turned in the second quarter. Golden State had gone five minutes without a basket when Curry hit his first three of the period. He scored the Warriors' first 11 points of the quarter and finished it with 19 points and five threes, per Warriors.com. Golden State scored 34 in the quarter, so by our count Curry had 56 percent of them.

That came two nights after a 17-point Curry third quarter in Denver, a 134-114 Warriors win, per Warriors.com. Across the two wins, the pattern is the same: one Curry quarter built the lead.

The Warriors led 64-48 at the half and by as many as 24. Minnesota won the third quarter 33-29 and the fourth 33-26, taking the second half 66-55. Bones Hyland banked one in to cut it to three in the final seconds before Curry closed the scoring with two more free throws. Golden State is 2-3.

Lendeborg's 26

Yaxel Lendeborg scored 26 on 11-for-20 with eight rebounds. He entered the night as the NBA's leading rookie scorer at 21.8 points per game, and Warriors.com reports he is the first Warriors rookie since Curry to score at least 25 points in three straight games. His running dunk made it 115-104 with 2:16 left.

Minnesota without Edwards

The Timberwolves were playing their first game since Anthony Edwards was ruled out with a right knee injury; ESPN's Shams Charania reported he will have arthroscopic surgery and miss up to two months. Edwards had averaged 33.3 points through four games, per Sporting News. Without him, Jonathan Kuminga scored 20 against his former team, and Jaden McDaniels and Terrence Shannon Jr. had 19 each.

LaMelo Ball finished with six turnovers and three made field goals. Minnesota has now lost two straight after a 3-0 start.

What to watch

• The free-throw streak at 39 when Golden State hosts the Lakers on Friday in its NBA Cup opener.
• Whether the Warriors can hold a second-half lead.
• Lendeborg's 25-point run at three games.
• Minnesota's scoring with Edwards out.

Sources

• AP: Curry scores 44 points as the Warriors hold on to beat the Timberwolves 119-114
• Warriors.com: Stephen Curry ignites for 44 points in Warriors win over Timberwolves
• NBA.com: Inside the Game box score, Warriors 119, Timberwolves 114
• NBA.com: Official injury report, Oct. 28, 2026
• Sporting News: Stephen Curry scores 44 points, but his perfect free-throw streak is just as ridiculous
• Athlon Sports via Yardbarker: Final injury report for Warriors-Timberwolves
• Reuters via Al Jazeera: Stephen Curry, Warriors hold nerve to beat Timberwolves
• ESPN: NBA scoreboard, Oct. 28, 2026