Having picked up a huge victory in their first-ever playoff meeting, the Golden State Warriors will look to go 2-0 up against the Minnesota Timberwolves when the two teams lock horns in Game 2 of the Western Conference semi-finals on Thursday night.
With Wednesday's win at Target Center, all four road teams have won Game 1 of the Western Conference semis for the first time in NBA history, and the Timberwolves will set out to level the tie ahead of their journey to California.
Match preview
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The Minnesota Timberwolves dropped a vital home game in their first-ever playoff clash with the Golden State Warriors as they fell 99-88 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semis at Target Center on Tuesday night.
It was back and forth in the first quarter, with the Timberwolves ending the period two points ahead after four lead changes, but an 18-2 run to start the second quarter turned the momentum in favour of the Warriors, who seized control and did not look back.
Averaging 26.8 points per game, Anthony Edwards led the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round, condemning Lebron James and the Lakers to a second consecutive first-round exit.
While Edwards took just seven shots all game and was kept relatively quiet for most part of the contest, he hit 13 points in the fourth quarter to finish with a 23-point 14-rebound double-double while Julius Randle tallied 18 points to go with six assists and three rebounds.
Chris Finch's men will have to return to the drawing board following their cold shooting night as they finished with a 39% FG and failed to cross the 90-point mark in just their second playoff game this season — the first coming in a 94-85 loss against the Lakers on April 23.
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It is worth knowing that the Golden State Warriors snatched Game 1 of the semi-finals with Stephen Curry sitting out most of the game after the offensive leader was forced off injured with 8:20 left in the second quarter.
Buddy Hield and Jimmy Butler stepped up to power the Warriors through, with Hield draining five of his eight attempts from 3-point range to finish with a team-high 24 points, while Butler knocked down 20 points and 11 assists to record his first double-double of the playoffs.
This came less than 48 hours after the Golden State Warriors edged out the Houston Rockets 103-89 in a nervy Game 7 of the playoff first round at the Toyota Center, having blown a 3-1 lead after the first four games in the series.
With Tuesday's result, Steve Kerr's men are now 9-2 from their most recent 11 games on the road, with the two defeats coming in Game 2 and 3 of the series against the Rockets.
The Golden State Warriors journey to the Target Center on a run of four back-to-back victories over the Minnesota Timberwolves, having failed to win any of the five meetings between the two sides preceding this run.
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Team News
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Minnesota United lost Naz Reid to a hamstring injury late in the clash against Warriors, and the 25-year-old, who knocked down 19 points before coming off, will be evaluated ahead of Friday's Game 2.
Dillingham Rob has missed each of the last 11 games since coming off with an ankle injury against the Brooklyn Nets on April 9 and the 20-year-old guard is out of contention for the home side.
As for the Golden State Warriors, they had to get the job done with floor general Curry after the 35-year-old guard was forced off injured in the second quarter after picking up a game-ending hamstring injury.
Curry, who is averaging 24 points per game in the playoffs, knocked down 13 points in 13 minutes of action before coming off and is set to undergo an MRI on Wednesday.
Following his standout performance in Game 7 against the Rockets, Hield delivered the goods for the Warriors once again, netting 16 of his 24 points in the third quarter and putting up a solid display on defence when matched up against Edwards to spearhead Kerr's side to an important road win.
Minnesota Timberwolves possible starting 5:
Conley, Edwards, Gobert, McDaniels, Randle
Golden State Warriors possible starting 5:
Podziemski, Hield, Green, Payton, Butler
We say: The Minnesota Timberwolves to win by 5+ points.
Wednesday's victory has seen the Golden State Warriors take control of this series as the Minnesota Timberwolves head into a must-win Game 2 needing to keep their playoff dreams alive. Curry's participation being in doubt gives the Timberwolves an extra fighting chance and we are backing them to level the tie in front of their home supporters this weekend.
Joshua Ojele
