Stephen Curry delivered a standout performance, scoring 26 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a decisive 111-85 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. This achievement marked another milestone for Curry, as he tied with Paul Pierce for 19th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with a total of 26,397 points. However, this game was overshadowed by significant events in Minneapolis that added an emotional weight to the contest.

Curry, who is also the league’s all-time leading three-point scorer, played despite experiencing knee soreness and wasn’t at his best shooting-wise, making only seven of 18 field goal attempts. Despite this, he managed to go perfect from the free-throw line, converting all nine of his attempts. He also contributed seven assists and four steals, helping the Warriors maintain control throughout the game.

The match had been postponed from Saturday due to a tragic incident involving federal agents shooting and killing a U.S. citizen, Alex Pretti, during an ongoing immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. This event occurred just weeks after another similar tragedy, where an immigration officer shot and killed Renee Good in the same city. The atmosphere in the arena was visibly affected by these events, with fans expressing their frustration and calling for the removal of federal immigration officials from the area.

Golden State forward Moses Moody, who scored 19 points with eight rebounds and two blocked shots, acknowledged the emotional impact of the situation. “You definitely felt the weight of the city,” he said. “I couldn’t imagine too many different times where that large amount of people are together in the midst of a situation like this, so you definitely felt that.”

On the other side, Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 32 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to prevent their fifth consecutive loss. Golden State coach Steve Kerr described the home team as “suffering” during the game. He noted the unusual and somber atmosphere in the stands, which included a moment of silence to honor Pretti and chants from fans demanding the exit of federal immigration officials.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors continued their strong performance, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 101-99. Immanuel Quickley was instrumental, contributing 23 points and 11 rebounds. His back-to-back three-pointers late in the fourth quarter gave the Raptors a crucial lead, allowing them to secure their fourth straight win. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 points for the Thunder, though he struggled in the final quarter, managing only three points.

In San Antonio, the New Orleans Pelicans pulled off a surprising 104-95 victory against the Spurs. Zion Williamson and Saddiq Bey each scored 24 points, while Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 16 points. The Spurs showed resilience, erasing a 14-point deficit entering the fourth quarter, but ultimately fell short.

The ongoing severe winter storm across the United States caused disruptions, resulting in the cancellation of two games. The Memphis Grizzlies’ home game against the Denver Nuggets and the Milwaukee Bucks’ game against the Dallas Mavericks in Wisconsin were both called off. The Mavericks faced additional challenges when they were unable to depart after their previous game, leading to the cancellation of their scheduled match.

Cade Cunningham had a stellar game for the Detroit Pistons, scoring 29 points and dishing out 11 assists in a 139-116 win over the Sacramento Kings. This performance highlighted the team’s dominance and their position as leaders in the Eastern Conference.