Minnesota @ Golden State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 8, 2017 ) Minnesota 101, Golden State 125

The Golden State Warriors are once again loaded with All-Stars and look to stymie the challenge of the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves in Thursday's nationally televised contest. The rising Timberwolves have two All-Stars of their own in shooting guard Jimmy Butler and center Karl-Anthony Towns as they attempt to silence the Warriors' star quartet.

Point guard Stephen Curry and small forward Kevin Durant were voted as All-Star starters while power forward Draymond Green and shooting guard Klay Thompson joined the contest as reserves. "We're obviously really lucky to have these guys all together at once on the roster," Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters. "What I love is they're so unselfish, they play together so well. That's why they're all All-Stars. It wouldn't work if they were selfish and looking for their own shot, looking for their own points." Minnesota has won seven of its past 10 games but one of the defeats occurred Wednesday when the defense was suspect in a 123-114 road loss against the Portland Trail Blazers. Butler has missed the past three games with an injured right knee and is questionable at best to play against the Warriors.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (31-19): Minnesota allowed Portland to make 17-of-31 3-point attempts and coach Tom Thibodeau expressed his ire afterward as he was highly disappointed in what he saw on defense. "The times we did things correctly with the proper amount of intensity and concentration and discipline was very effective," Thibodeau told reporters. "The times that we didn't and took shortcuts, we fell short." Towns had 16 points and nine rebounds against Portland and downplayed his All-Star berth prior to the game by saying, "I don't really feel like I'm an All-Star. I feel like my team is an All-Star."

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (38-10): Curry drained eight 3-pointers and scored 32 points Monday as Golden State posted a 123-112 victory over the feisty New York Knicks. Curry's outing left him two points shy of becoming the fifth player in franchise history to reach 14,000 career points behind Wilt Chamberlain (17,783), Rick Barry (16,447), Paul Arizin (16,266) and Chris Mullin (16,235). Durant impersonated a playmaker against the Knicks by registering a career-best 14 assists while scoring a season-low 14 points on 4-of-10 shooting.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Warriors routed the Timberwolves 125-101 on Nov. 8 for their 24th win in the past 29 meetings.

2. Minnesota backup SG Jamal Crawford (left big toe) returned from a two-game absence to score 19 points against Portland.

3. Tuesday's victory over the Knicks represented the ninth time Golden State rallied from a double-digit deficit to win this season.

PREDICTION: Warriors 126, Timberwolves 112