The Golden State Warriors were on the road on Tuesday night as they squared off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of their first-round series. Golden State was able to use an incredible defensive performance to power their way to a 99-88 victory as they stole Game 1 on the road. With the victory, the Warriors now take a 1-0 series lead despite their superstar point guard Stephen Curry exiting the game early in the second quarter due to a left hamstring strain.
Jimmy Butler led the way for the Warriors with Curry sidelined as he recorded 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Draymond Green also played a key role in Tuesday’s victory after recording 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists. While Butler and Green stepped up huge with Curry out due to injury, Buddy Hield was also able to step up in the victory.
Hield finished the game with 24 points and eight rebounds while making five of his eight three-point attempts. Of course, Hield was coming off an incredible performance in Game 7 against the Houston Rockets in the first round on Sunday, where he scored a playoff career-high 33 points. His performance in Game 1 against the Timberwolves made NBA playoff history. According to the Warriors, Hield became the first player in NBA playoff history to make 14 three-pointers over a two-game span in the playoffs. This is an incredible accomplishment for Hield and he was a key reason why the Warriors were able to pull off the upset victory at the Target Center on Tuesday night in Minnesota.
Just two days removed from his massive outing that kept the Golden State Warriors alive in the postseason, Buddy Hield made a classic mistake often seen at the AAU and high school levels. He came out onto the court at the Target Center wearing the wrong shorts. Hield, in the first minute of the Warriors’ 99-88 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, wore a black and blue pair of shorts instead of the black and yellow shorts his teammates had on. The Timberwolves’ bench pointed that out, which left Hield laughing on the court after he realized his error. He had to sprint back into the locker room to change. The Warriors were hit with a delay of game and had to burn a timeout in the first minute of the contest. Quickly, after finding the right pair, Hield came back out and play resumed.
Hield ended up leading the Warriors again in the win on Tuesday night. He dropped 24 points and had eight rebounds to go with his five 3-pointers in the 11-point win, which gave them the early 1-0 series lead. The Warriors lost Stephen Curry to a hamstring injury in the first half, though, and it’s unclear how long he’ll be sidelined. The Warriors are trying to make it back to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2022, when they ended up winning their seventh championship. While Hield will play a big part in that, he has to be wearing the right shorts in order to actually make any sort of impact. Hopefully, this hilarious blunder was just a one-off.
As the Golden State Warriors prepare for Game 2 on Thursday, May 8, 2025, they will need to rally together to fill the void left by Curry’s absence. The team has demonstrated resilience throughout the playoffs, and with players like Butler, Green, and Hield stepping up, they seem poised to continue their playoff run. The Timberwolves will be looking to bounce back and even the series, making for an exciting matchup in the next game.
In the end, the Warriors’ victory was a testament to their depth and determination. With Curry’s status uncertain, the rest of the team will have to elevate their game even further. Hield’s shooting prowess and the contributions from Butler and Green could be the keys to their continued success in the playoffs. As the series progresses, fans will be watching closely to see how this story unfolds.
