Preview of Warriors and Timberwolves games in the NBA playoffs
Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today breaks down his thoughts about Steph Curry and the Aging Warriors team, facing Anthony Edwards and Timberwolves.
Sports Pulse
Buddy Heald is once again in the rescue for the Golden State Warriors.
In the second straight game, the Warriors had to be scored and Hailed delivered. This time Steph Curry was on the sidelines due to tension in his left hamstring.
Hield scored 16 of his team high 24 points in the third quarter as the Warriors defeated the Minnesota Timber Wolves 99-88 on Tuesday in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semi-Final Series.
Curry scored 13 points before leaving the game with 8:19 left in the second quarter and did not return. Hield, Draymond Green (18 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steels) and Jimmy Butler (20 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steels) attacked in Curry’s absence, while the Warriors took advantage of Putrid Timberwalves’ attack (39.5% off the field).
Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with an inefficient 23 points and 14 rebounds.
The road team is now 5-0 in the conference semi-finals, and the Golden State victory marks the first time in NBA history that the road team has won all four Games 1 in the second round.
Coach Steve Kerr said Curry was daily after the victory and had an MRI on Wednesday.
“I talked to him at halftime,” the Warriors coach said. “He’s clearly been crushed, but the guys went to pick him up and played a great game. Obviously we’re all worried about Steph.
“Our peers got a great victory 48 hours after winning the Road in Game 7, and it’s a great group of guys. These guys – they compete and they’re together. We’ve been the best defense in the league since the Jimmy Trade.
Game 2 is Thursday in Minneapolis (8:30 PM ET, TNT).
Warriors-Timberwolves Game 1 Winner
Buddy Heald
Hield made nine three pointers against Houston, tied up records from Game 7, and five threes with Minnesota in Game 1. This is the first time Hield has won over 10 three in consecutive games this season. The Warriors were one of the league’s best shooting games and received the necessary shooting from Hield, who won the 3-point contest at the 2020 All-Star Weekend.
“‘I needed all of his 24 points. At Steph Out, there’s very little option offensively,” Kerr said.
Hield is 50-50 (46%) in 3 seconds in eight playoff games. Regardless of the availability of curry, the rest of the series, the Warriors need a Haald shooting.
He also had to compensate for wearing the wrong shorts to start the game, resulting in delays in the Warriors’ game penalty.
Road Team
As mentioned before, the road team is undefeated in the semi-finals of the meeting. It’s no surprise that the Warriors got one on the road. In the past 31 playoff series, they won road games in 30 of these series, including Game 7 in Houston on Sunday.
Jimmy Butler’s defensive presence
Since acquiring Butler, the Warriors have the best defense in the league. In seven games in the first round, Golden State held Houston to less than three, allowing only 88 times from the Timberwolves in Game 1.
With Butler in court, Minnesota scored just 92.4 points per 100 property. So Golden State moved to a trade deadline to acquire Butler, who played for 41 minutes.
Golden State 3-point shooting
He wasn’t the only warrior who made the 3S. The Warriors made 42-18 (42.9%), surpassing the Timberwolves 54-15 from that distance. Draymond Green made four, Curry made three, and Butler and Gary Payton II made two each.
Though it’s not the same three-point team as when he had Klay Thompson, the Warriors are still one of the best three-point shooting teams in the league.
Warriors-Timberwolves Game 1 Loser
injury
It is known that injuries affect the playoffs. “It’s part of the game. Everyone gets hurt and they’re going ahead,” Kerr said.
But when the team is healthy and the stars are on the court, the playoffs are better. Kerr said Curry would get an MRI on Wednesday to determine the extent of his injuries and his availability for the rest of the series. By stealing the advantage of the home court, Golden State has the flexibility to sit Curry in Game 2 and give him extra rest and treatment, unless injuries rule him out in multiple games.
Anthony Edwards Attack
All-star Anthony Edwards’ 23 points and 14 rebounds look better on paper. He needed 22 shots to score 23 points, missed his first 10 shots, only 1 percent on three pointers.
“You’re the leader of the team, you have to come out and set the tone in every way that happens,” said Timberwolves coach Chris Finch. “If your shot isn’t moving forward, then you still have to carry energy. If I have to tell the guy about the correct energy coming to the opening second round game, we’re not on the same page.”
Timberwolves Attack
Edwards wasn’t the only player who struggled to score in Minnesota. The Timberwolves scored 39.5% from the field and 17.2% on three-pointers, with 31 points in the second quarter, including 11 points.
Mike Conley, Julius Randle and Donte Divincenzo were 7-27 from the field. After scoring at least 90 points in 82 regular season games, the Timberwolves failed to reach 90 times in six playoff games.