The Golden State Warriors will take part in the opening game of the NBA Western Conference, the second round playoff series with the Minnesota Timber Wolves, despite Stephen Curry exiting the game with leg tension.
They scored 24 points as the Golden State Warriors won the Minnesota Timber Wolves 99-88 in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semi-Final Series in Minneapolis, losing star Stephen Curry, despite the Golden State Warriors getting injured and losing star Stephen Curry.
Jimmy Butler III scored a double double with 20 points and 11 rebounds for the seventh seed Warriors, who won their second victory in three nights after eliminating the Houston Rockets in the seventh game first round series. Draymond Green finished with 18 points and 8 rebounds.
“Jimmy is as good as any star in the league who reads games and controls tempo,” the Warriors coach said Tuesday.
Anthony Edwards missed the first 10 shots from the field, but finished with 23 points and 14 rebounds for Minnesota. Naz Reid scored 19 points off the bench, while Julius Randle finished with 18 points.
“It didn’t look like us,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “It didn’t feel like we did.”
The 37-year-old Curry was dropped out in the second quarter due to left hamstring tension and did not return. He scored 13 points in 13 minutes, five-thirds-9 before his injury, shooting 6-6 from 3-point range.
Curry appeared to maintain his injury after driving for a layup. He supported his left leg after the shot, lifting his arm up, signaling the bench that he felt something was wrong.
Kerr told reporters after the game that Curry will undergo an MRI on Wednesday with the left hamstring. He described the status of curry as daily.
“We definitely plan the game so that he’s not available on Thursday,” Kerr said. “We don’t know yet, but in the hamstrings it’s hard to imagine him playing Thursday.”
Minnesota dragged up to 23 points, but then pulled within single digits in the fourth quarter. The Timberwolves ran 13-2 and the deficit fell to 85-76 with the remaining 6:02.
On his next possession, Hield excavated one of five three-pointers to bring the Warriors’ lead back to 12 points. Butler continued with a driving jump shot to put Golden State in the top 90-76 at 5:19, with the Warriors still holding a comfortable lead the rest of the way.
Golden State led an 80-60 advantage at the end of the third quarter.
Hield scored two points at halftime, but erupted at 16 in the third quarter. He made a 3-pointer as part of a 10-0 run, giving Golden State a 76-53 lead with 2:23 left in the quarter.
Golden State led 44-31 in half as Minnesota scored just 11 points in the second quarter.
Game 2 of the Top 7 Series will be held in Minneapolis on Thursday.
