Curry scores 38 as Warriors win in Green’s return

On consecutive third-quarter possessions Monday night, as the Warriors struggled to shake Minnesota in a mostly disjointed game, Draymond Green vividly illustrated his value.

First, he retrieved a loose ball in the lane and quickly shoveled it to Stephen Curry, who made a three-point shot. Next time down the court, Green dribbled into the lane and cleverly pushed a left-handed pass to Kevin Durant, who also made a three.

That quickly, the Warriors stretched their lead to 12.

They didn’t look like a sleek powerhouse, but the Warriors pulled away for a 116-108 victory at Oracle Arena. Curry scored 38 points, Klay Thompson added 26 and Durant had 22 as Golden State earned its fourth consecutive win.