8:19 remaining in the second quarter, Target Center watched as Dub Nation witnessed their worst nightmare. A grimacing Stephen Curry left the court, limping in pain. He finished for the day, or maybe for even longer. Later, the team informed that the Baby-Faced Assassin has a Grade 1 hamstring strain. Simply put, Curry is about to miss Game 2, and his boys must step up. In his absence, they did so against the Wolves on Tuesday, and Chris Finch isn’t particularly a fan.

Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch expressed frustration over the Golden State Warriors’ physical style of play in Game 1 on Tuesday. The 55-year-old veteran spoke to the media on Wednesday and said:

“We’ll certainly try to take justice into our own hands whenever we can. I think that’s the nature of physical sport. That’s clear. We’ll send a bunch of those clips to the league. In fact, I’m not sure I know another player in the league with Rudy’s pedigree who is allowed to be physically beaten the way he is. And so, we gotta address that one way or another.” 

 

Chris Finch voiced his frustration after the Wolves flagged several missed calls from Game 1 for league review. The head coach pointed to repeated instances of physical play, especially targeting Rudy Gobert. He highlighted actions like fouling, holding, and even tackling during defensive rebounds. Moreover, Finch suggested such treatment was unacceptable for a player of Rudy’s stature. As the series heats up, his remarks add fuel to an already intense battle.

Despite the hurdles, the French big man scored 9 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Surely, guarding the 7’1″ giant was a tactic by the Warriors, as setting him loose would’ve caused havoc in

Stephen Curry‘s absence. To be honest, Steve Kerr’s strategy was nearly perfect on Tuesday, and the 99-88 result is a testament to the same.

However, Steph’s replacement, aka, Buddy Hield, or shall we say, ‘Budderd’ (Jimmy would be so proud!) wasn’t impressive or intimidating for the Wolves. The Batman for day despite performing at the highest level couldn’t leave a mark Minnesota’s memory. Wow!

Minnesota isn’t amused as Buddy Hield takes over Stephen Curry’s battle

To begin with, Buddy Hield has averaged 28.5 points per game and 5.5 rebounds in the two most important games of the year. He bounced back from his no-point Game 6 blunder to a massive 33-point game vs. the Houston Rockets. Only to follow it up with a 24-point explosion with stellar defense, adding 8 rebounds to the impressive stat line in Game 1.

The 32-year-old sharpshooter has turned out to be a reliable hope on the court even when Stephen Curry isn’t around. But sadly, Jaden McDaniels has decided to disagree with Hield’s impact and stats.

Speaking to the media, the 24-year-old Wolves star said: “For me, it’s kind of easy, just ’cause Buddy kind of does the same as Steph. He just shoots a lot of threes. I wouldn’t say he’s as good as Steph, but he’s like Steph. I just kind of treat him how I guard Steph—just not giving him any space, just basically being his shadow.” 

 

Jaden McDaniels drew a sharp comparison between guarding Buddy Hield and Steph Curry. He admitted the task felt simple because both rely heavily on three-point shooting. While he stopped short of equating their skill levels, he noted their styles are similar. Therefore, he applied the same strategy. McDaniels refuses to give space and stays glued to his man. His defensive mindset is clear. Outwork the shooter. Outlast the threat.

In Round 2 Game 1, the Wolves stood tall amid the storm. Stephen Curry limped off, but the battle raged on. The Warriors pushed the limits. The Wolves pushed back only to succumb, for now. While Buddy stepped into Steph’s shoes, Jaden McDaniels was ready with shadows and stops. Meanwhile, Finch made it clear—this fight is far from over. As the series unfolds, sparks will fly, bodies will clash, and tempers may flare. One thing’s certain: Game 2 is war.