Warriors' Historic Game 1 Win Over Timberwolves Despite Curry's Injury; Hield's Record-Tying 3-Pointers Eliminate Rockets

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 99-88 in the Western Conference semifinals opener, despite losing Stephen Curry to a hamstring injury. This marked the first time all four road teams won Game 1 in the second round of the NBA playoffs. Buddy Hield led the Warriors with 24 points, stepping up in Curry's absence. Hield's performance followed his record-tying nine 3-pointers in Game 7 against Houston. The Warriors' defense was crucial, forcing 16 turnovers and limiting Minnesota to 39.5% shooting. Curry's status for Game 2 is uncertain as he awaits an MRI.

Warriors Overcome Adversity in Game 1 Victory

Just 48 hours after a grueling Game 7 win over the Houston Rockets, the sixth-seeded Warriors entered Game 1 against the well-rested Timberwolves as underdogs. But Golden State flipped the script with a dominant defensive performance and timely shooting, particularly from Hield, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler.

The Warriors held Minnesota to just 31 points in the first half and 39.5% shooting overall. Golden State’s defense forced 16 turnovers and outrebounded the Timberwolves 39-25 over the final three quarters. The Warriors also outscored Minnesota 54-15 from beyond the arc, hitting 18-of-42 (42.9%) from deep compared to the Timberwolves’ 5-of-29 (17.2%).

Despite the early exit of Stephen Curry, who left the game with 8:19 remaining in the second quarter after straining his left hamstring, the Warriors maintained their composure. Curry had scored 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting in just 13 minutes before grabbing the back of his leg and heading to the locker room.

“He’s obviously crushed, but the guys picked him up and played a great game,” head coach Steve Kerr said postgame. “Obviously we’re all concerned about Steph, but that’s part of the game. Guys get hurt.”

Curry is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Wednesday, and Kerr indicated it is unlikely he will be available for Game 2 on Thursday. The team has listed him as day-to-day.

Buddy Hield Steps Up Again

With Curry sidelined, Buddy Hield once again rose to the occasion. The veteran guard scored 24 points, including 16 in a pivotal third quarter where the Warriors outscored Minnesota 36-29. Hield shot 5-of-8 from three-point range and added eight rebounds, three assists, and a steal in 39 minutes of action. He finished with a game-high +22 plus-minus.

“‘We needed every one of his 24 points. With Steph out, we have very few options offensively,” Kerr said.

Hield’s performance followed his historic Game 7 against Houston, where he scored 33 points on 12-of-15 shooting, including 9-of-11 from beyond the arc. His nine 3-pointers tied the NBA record for most in a Game 7, helping the Warriors to a 103-89 win and a spot in the semifinals.

Remarkably, Hield had gone scoreless in Game 6 against Houston, making his Game 7 explosion even more dramatic. “Just locked in,” Hield said after that game. “Trying to find my joy. Never been in the situation before. Just trying to seize the moment.”

A Wardrobe Malfunction and a Statement Game

Hield’s Game 1 against Minnesota began with an unusual hiccup. He took the court wearing the wrong game shorts, forcing the Warriors to call a timeout just 59 seconds into the game and resulting in a delay of game penalty. The Timberwolves noticed the error, and Hield had to rush to the locker room to change.

Despite the early mishap, Hield quickly found his rhythm. His third-quarter barrage included back-to-back threes and an and-1 triple that helped extend Golden State’s lead to 20 points. He has now made 23-of-50 (46%) from three-point range in the playoffs.

Supporting Cast Delivers

Hield wasn’t alone in carrying the offensive load. Jimmy Butler contributed 20 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, and two steals in 41 minutes. Draymond Green added 18 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and two steals, including four made three-pointers—his most in a playoff game since 2017.

Golden State’s bench also provided key contributions. Jonathan Kuminga scored seven points, including a highlight-reel dunk off a feed from Green. Gary Payton II and Donte DiVincenzo each added two three-pointers, helping the Warriors maintain their offensive spacing.

Timberwolves Struggle to Find Rhythm

Minnesota, the No. 2 seed in the West, looked out of sync from the opening tip. The Timberwolves missed 19 of their first 20 three-point attempts and scored just 11 points in the second quarter. Anthony Edwards led the team with 23 points and 14 rebounds but shot just 9-of-22 from the field and missed his first 10 shots.

“If I have to talk to guys about having the right energy coming into an opening second-round game, then we’re not on the same page,” Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said.

Mike Conley, Julius Randle, and Donte DiVincenzo combined to shoot 7-of-27, and the team’s 88 points marked their lowest output in over a year.

Warriors Make Playoff History

Golden State’s Game 1 win was historic beyond the scoreboard. It marked the first time in NBA history that all four road teams won Game 1 in the conference semifinals. The Warriors have now won at least one road game in 30 of their last 31 playoff series.

Since acquiring Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, Golden State has boasted the league’s best defense. In the first round, they held Houston under 100 points in three of seven games and limited Minnesota to just 88 in Game 1.

With Curry’s status uncertain, the Warriors will rely heavily on their defense and the hot hand of Buddy Hield as they look to take a 2-0 series lead on Thursday in Minneapolis.

References

• Steve Kerr Announces Big Steph Curry Injury Update After Warriors-Wolves
• Stephen Curry leaves Warriors’ opener with strained hamstring, putting series in question | NBA.com
• Nightly Pulse: NBA news & highlights from May 6 | NBA.com
• How the Warriors defeated the Timberwolves in Game 1 of their NBA playoff series despite Steph Curry injury
• Timberwolves-Warriors: 5 takeaways as Golden State steals Game 1 in Minnesota | NBA.com
• Warriors shock Timberwolves in Game 1 — now they wait for Stephen Curry and what comes next
• Road Warriors: Golden State makes NBA playoffs history without injured Stephen Curry
• Wardrobe malfunction: Warriors guard has wrong shorts on to start Game 1 vs. Timberwolves
• Buddy Hield overcomes nerves to thrive in Game 7 | Berry Tramel’s Scissortales