Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, right, shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels during the first half of Game 1 of their NBA second-round playoff series on Tuesday in Minneapolis. (AP photo)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — With the superhero of the Golden State Warriors out for the rest of the game, the sidekicks stepped up.

Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield have become quite the sideshow, on and off the court.

When Stephen Curry went down with a strained left hamstring early in the opener of this second-round series against Minnesota, Butler and Hield delivered the both-ends-of-the-floor production necessary to fend off the Timberwolves for a 99-88 victory.

“I’m Batman. I saved the day,” Hield said. “He’s still Robin.”

Butler was willing to concede that interim role to Hield with Curry out, but not without reminding Hield the Warriors had to burn a timeout in the first minute of the game because the shorts he was wearing didn’t match the team uniform.

“That’s not real Robin and/or Batman like,” Butler said, turning to Hield as they shared a table for their joint postgame interview.

Butler pitched in 20 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and sound defense. Hield hit five 3-pointers among his 24 points to go with eight rebounds and no turnovers for a team-leading plus-22 rating. Both of them will have to keep that up now that the Warriors have ruled Curry out for at least the next three games.

Two of the newest players to the team have also developed a unique odd-couple bond, with Butler constantly needling the softer-spoken Hield with his wry sense of humor. They clearly get on each other’s nerves at times, to the point of shouting at each other in one of the huddles during a timeout on Tuesday.

Since Butler arrived in a trade with Miami, the Warriors are 29-11. Hield was acquired from Philadelphia last summer.

“They have an incredible relationship. Y’all don’t get to see everything, but there’s times where they really go at it. That’s just the nature of the game we play,” teammate Draymond Green said. “They have a great dynamic, both of them playing great basketball for us.”

The Warriors, who were the last team to advance to the second round after finally beating second-seeded Houston in that seven-game series on Sunday, took a much-needed day off on Wednesday. They’ll need to bring their intensity back for Game 2 tonight, when the Wolves are bound to be fired up from the way they flailed through Game 1.

Coach Chris Finch sounded irritated on Wednesday for a number of reasons, including what he described as football-like contact by the Warriors against Rudy Gobert that went uncalled and prevented the big man from grabbing several rebounds. The Wolves sent in multiple video clips to the league to plead their case.

“They look like pulling guards and linemen out there just taking shots at Rudy,” Finch said.

Warriors center Kevon Looney was one of those guys jockeying for position in the paint with the 7-foot-1 Gobert.

“Last series, I feel like was way worse than anything I did last game,” Looney said, recalling the physical tone of the first round against the Rockets as he smiled. “It’s the playoffs. I’m going to grab and push until they call it.”

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