The Golden State Warriors hold a 1-0 lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves in their Western Conference second round playoff series. Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday evening in Minneapolis.
Golden State secured the series lead with a 99-88 victory in Game 1 on Tuesday. The Warriors won despite guard Stephen Curry leaving the game after 13 minutes with a hamstring injury.
Guard Buddy Hield led the Warriors in the series opener with 24 points. Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards scored 23 points in the loss Game 1 details.
The Timberwolves struggled with shooting in Game 1, making just 5 of 29 attempts from three-point range. The team was also outrebounded 51-41 by the Warriors.
Golden State's offense has averaged 113.8 points per game this season, outscoring opponents by an average of 3.3 points. The Timberwolves have averaged 15.0 made three-pointers per game this season, exceeding the Warriors' average allowed.
Since forward Jimmy Butler joined the Warriors on February 8, the team has improved its record. Butler contributed 17.5 points per game for Golden State during the season. Draymond Green's defense, particularly his work in the previous series, remains a factor for the Warriors.
Minnesota enters Game 2 needing a stronger performance from its core players. Anthony Edwards, who had one point at halftime in Game 1, needs to provide offensive leadership. The team's size advantage, featuring Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid, did not translate to rebounding control in the first game. Some observers, including former player and analyst Kenny Smith, note the unpredictable nature of playoff series outcomes based on single-game performances.
Curry's status for Game 2 is day-to-day. Minnesota guard Rob Dillingham is also listed as day-to-day with an ankle injury.
The Timberwolves finished the regular season 49-33, securing the sixth seed in the Western Conference. The Warriors were the seventh seed with a 48-34 record.
Information for this report was compiled using data from a technology provider and a data provider.
