The Golden State Warriors took a 1-0 series lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 99-88 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, but the story was far from straightforward. Star guard Stephen Curry left in the first half with a hamstring strain, yet Golden State maintained control, thanks to hot shooting from Buddy Hield (24 points, 5-for-8 from three) and a near triple-double from Jimmy Butler (20 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists)
Draymond Green also stepped up, hitting four threes and finishing with 18 points, helping the Warriors build a double-digit lead that withstood a late Timberwolves push Minnesota struggled from deep, shooting just 1.2% on threes, and committed 16 turnovers, which proved costly
Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 23 points but faced criticism from coach Chris Finch for his energy and mindset after the loss The Timberwolves managed to close the gap to single digits in the fourth, but never regained the lead after a 15-0 Warriors run in the second quarter
Game 2 is set for Thursday, with the Warriors holding momentum-and the Timberwolves searching for answers.
