The Golden State Warriors battled through a difficult night and won Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves, 99-88. They did so without Stephen Curry, who left the game early in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. Curry had just knocked down a mid-range jumper when he grabbed the back of his left leg. The Warriors ruled him out for the rest of the game. They are now wondering what comes next in the playoffs without their star.
Despite Curry not being in the lineup, the Warriors found a way to step up. Buddy Hield was the leader, just days removed from a tremendous night in Game 7 against Houston. Hield scored 24 points and shot 5-for-8 from three. He played with a level of calm and confidence that we never saw from his game at Oklahoma, and he has shown he can play under duress. At one point, Hield even caused a stoppage for a humorous suggestion when he was wearing the incorrect shorts. Notice that he did not change them, making it a funny moment for everyone.
Draymond Green was impressive, scoring four three-pointers in the first half and finishing with 18 points. His scoring contribution was critical. Jimmy Butler had a fantastic all-around game, adding 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. The Warriors dressed all 12 of their players and played great defence. Their effort on defence limited Minnesota from getting into any rhythm, specifically from a distance.
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The Timberwolves struggled horrendously from three-point range. They missed their first 16 three-point attempts. Naz Reid finally broke the ice with a three-pointer that was made with 8:32 left in the third quarter. By then, Minnesota was down by 20 points and was not able to recover from that deficit.
Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 23 points and a whopping 14 rebounds, though he started the game slowly. Reid and Julius Randle added 19 and 16 points, respectively. The Timberwolves made only five of their 29 attempts from three-point range and were down as much as 23 points at one time in the game.
Game 2 is on Thursday, and we will have to see if Curry can return. Based on what happened on Tuesday, Hield’s great game and the depth of the Warriors could help keep their championship hopes alive.
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