Warriors Face Major Test as Curry Goes Down
The Golden State Warriors kicked off the second round of the NBA playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves in dramatic fashion, snatching a hard-fought 99-88 victory. But the story everyone talked about after the buzzer? Stephen Curry, the heart of the Warriors, left the court during the third quarter clutching his hamstring. The timing couldn't have been worse—Curry just hit 22 points to close out the last series and looked ready for another big playoff run. Yet a non-contact injury sent shockwaves through the crowd and threw a wrench into Golden State’s game plan.
Watching Curry limp off as the team’s lead shrank was enough to make every Warriors fan nervous. But this group—stacked with postseason experience—didn’t fold. Instead, Draymond Green started barking orders on defense, orchestrating a tighter scheme that frustrated Minnesota at every turn. Guarding the paint, disrupting pick-and-rolls, and switching with ease, the Warriors threw off the Timberwolves’ rhythm, particularly from beyond the arc. Minnesota, hoping for a hot-shooting night, just kept clanking open looks.
Green and Kuminga Take Over, Timberwolves Freeze Up
With Curry out, the scoring responsibility had to fall on someone else. Draymond Green didn’t waste time—he drove aggressively, finished in traffic, and nailed a couple of timely mid-range shots. But it was Jonathan Kuminga, the young forward who stepped up big. Kuminga attacked mismatches, crashed the glass, and brought the energy Golden State desperately needed. They combined to swing momentum back the Warriors’ way right when it felt like the Timberwolves had their opening.
On the other side, Minnesota’s offensive problems only got worse. Anthony Edwards, their star guard, had trouble getting into the lane and couldn’t get his perimeter shot to drop. The Timberwolves’ struggles from three-point territory dogged them all night—they couldn’t buy a basket despite decent looks. With the Warriors locking in defensively, the Timberwolves looked frustrated, second-guessing every pass and settling for low-percentage shots.
The Warriors’ bench also chipped in, with Moses Moody drilling a couple of threes and Gary Payton II pestering Timberwolves ballhandlers relentlessly. Every hustle play mattered. Without Curry’s gravity, Golden State had to move the ball more deliberately, hunting the right looks and never letting Minnesota get momentum.
With Game 1 in the books, the Warriors proved they could outwork and outthink their opponents even without their superstar on the floor. The Timberwolves, meanwhile, have to figure out how to get their offense back on track as the series heats up. For now, Golden State owns the early edge and all eyes are watching Curry’s status for the next battle.
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