By ASSOCIATED PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Buddy Hield and Draymond Green delivered from 3-point range with Golden State star Stephen Curry suddenly sidelined by a hamstring strain, and the Warriors opened the second-round series with an inspired 99-88 victory over the stumbling Timberwolves on Tuesday night, May 6.
Hield picked up where he left off in the Game 7 win at Houston that finished the first round by scoring 24 points on 5-for-8 3-point shooting.
Jimmy Butler had 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and Green had four first-half 3s on his way to 18 points, as the Warriors used 12 players, plenty of hustle and lockdown defense to overcome the concerning departure of their sharpshooting leader.
The home teams have yet to win in the second round of these NBA playoffs. Minnesota has another chance to get one in Game 2 on Thursday.
The big question: Will Curry be available? The league’s career leading 3-point shooter and four-time NBA champion exited early in the second quarter after hitting a 14-footer and grabbing the back of his left leg. The Warriors ruled him out for the remainder of the game soon after that.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr shrewdly sent a zone defense at a Wolves team that went 7 for 47 from 3-point range in a convincing win over the Los Angeles Lakers in the Game 5 clincher in the first round, and the bricks piled up even higher after nearly a week off.
The Wolves missed their first 16 shots from 3-point range until they were down by 20 and Naz Reid drained one from the wing with 8:32 left in the third quarter.
Anthony Edwards had 23 points and 14 rebounds after a particularly rough start, finishing 9 for 22 from the floor. Reid had 19 points and Julius Randle added 16 points for the Wolves, who finished 5 for 29 from behind the arc and trailed by 23 points late in the third.
Meanwhile, Tyrese Haliburton said he knows he’s trusted to deliver in big moments.
In three straight playoff games, the Indiana Pacers guard has delivered when it has mattered most.
Haliburton made a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining as the Pacers scored the final eight points in 47.9 seconds to stun the short-handed and top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, 120-119, to take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinals series.
Haliburton scored 11 of his 19 points in the final 12 minutes. After Andrew Nembhard stole an inbounds pass by Cleveland’s Max Strus with 27.5 seconds remaining, Indiana tried to find a potential tying 3-pointer before Haliburton drove inside and got fouled.
He made the first free throw, but missed the second. Haliburton got the offensive rebound and dribbled out to the 3-point line, where he made it from the top of the key.
