MINNEAPOLIS, May 7, 2025 — Golden State Warriors take Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against Minnesota Timberwolves with a score of 99-88, despite an injury setback to star player Steph Curry.
Curry exited the game early in the second quarter after feeling discomfort in his left hamstring, leaving the court directly to the locker room during a timeout. Team general manager Mike Dunleavy went to check on him. At that moment, the Warriors were leading comfortably with a score of 30-20, fueled by Draymond Green‘s impressive three-point shooting during the first half.
Even without Curry, Golden State maintained a strong defensive performance and managed to keep a double-digit lead for most of the game. The Timberwolves, however, struggled offensively, shooting merely 39.5 percent from the field. They started the game missing their first 16 attempts from three-point range before improving to 5-for-29.
Warriors’ Buddy Hield showcased his skills, scoring a game-high 24 points and contributing significantly on defense, resulting in a +22 plus-minus rating. Jimmy Butler added 20 points while Draymond Green contributed 18. Anthony Edwards had a rough start with just one point in the first half but managed to register 22 points in the second half.
“We showed resilience tonight,” Hield said post-game. “We had to step up as a team, especially when one of our key players went down.”
The Timberwolves’ playoff journey has been noteworthy, as they came into this matchup defending their home court advantage. Despite this, they struggled to replicate their earlier success in the postseason.
“We need to be better on offense next game,” Edwards said after the loss. “We can’t afford to start slow like that.”
This game marks the first-ever playoff encounter between the Warriors and Timberwolves. Historically, the Timberwolves’ backstory with the Warriors began in the 2009 NBA Draft, when they opted for Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio over Curry, who was eventually picked by Golden State at seventh overall.
Despite being the lower seed, Golden State has showcased their strength this postseason, notably after advancing past the Houston Rockets in a grueling seven-game series. They will look to build on this momentum in the next game regardless of Curry’s potential availability.
This encounter underlined the intensity of the playoffs, with the emotional and physical toll elevated on both sides. Looking ahead, the Warriors will need to strategize as they weigh Curry’s health against their playoff aspirations.
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