Did Steph Curry put the Golden State Warriors on backfoot against the Minnesota Timberwolves? Draymond Green reveals the star gave him information that turned out to be false in Game 1 on May 6.
The 37-year-old played just 13 minutes in the Warriors‘ 99-88 win and posted 13 points, one assist and one rebound before disaster struck the two-time MVP as he left the contest with an injury.
However, perhaps determined to remain in the NBA Conference Semifinals for his team, he may have accidentally delivered them a blow that could have opened the door for Anthony Edwards to take advantage.
“I’ll be back,” Green says Curry told him, admitting the rest of the team were unsure of whether Steph would reappear in the contest and thus likely delayed their adapting to cope without the four-time champion.
Eventually, they managed to pull through thanks to help from Jimmy Butler in the face of a charging Minnesota offense, as Edwards put up 23 points, 14 rebounds and two assists whilst Naz Reid also added 19 points.
The result sees Golden State take a 1-0 advantage into Game 2, which is due to be played on Thursday, May 8. The Warriors will remain on enemy ground at the Target Center as the Timberwolves aim to haul themselves back into the contest.
Tip-off will be at 20:30 ET/17:30 PT and fans can watch the game live on NBA League Pass, as well as TNT Sports 1. Tickets are sold out.
Butler the key to Golden State success says Green
It’s unclear how long Curry will be out for, with Golden State’s head coach confirming he will undergo an MRI scan and is being treated as day-to-day by the team’s physiotherapists.
But if he isn’t available for Thursday’s clash, it might not be a disaster for the team in the eyes of Green who points to Butler as a key figure who can step up in the legendary shooter’s absence.
“Jimmy has taken a team to the Finals twice. We won’t panic,” Green told reporters of Butler, who led the Miami Heat there twice in 2019/20 (defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers) and 2022/23 (defeat to the Denver Nuggets).
The 35-year-old, who is a six-time NBA All-Star, is performing well for the Warriors and produced 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists on May 6. His season averages are 17 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists; suggesting he’s getting better as the postseason goes on.
After stints with the Chicago Bulls, Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, Heat and now Golden State, could he finally get his hands on an NBA winners’ ring?
If he does so, he will bring the Warriors their first championship since the 2021/22 campaign, when they defeated the Boston Celtics 4-2.
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