The Golden State Warriors pulled off a surprising upset against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of their playoff series, but that victory was marred by a hamstring injury to Stephen Curry, sidelining him for at least a week. In Game 2, however, the Timberwolves came out strong, defeating the Warriors 117-93, revealing the team’s struggles without their star player. Jimmy Butler failed to seize the moment, scoring only 17 points while Jonathan Kuminga led the Warriors with 18 points.

Despite Butler’s ability to perform, his playoff averages of 18.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists came up short in this context, especially when the Warriors needed him to be the primary scorer. As the series moves forward, Butler's ability to elevate his game will be crucial to the Warriors' hopes of advancing.