The Golden State Warriors face elimination tonight in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Star guard Steph Curry has already been ruled out for this critical matchup due to a hamstring strain sustained in Game 1. However, there is positive news regarding his recovery. Following a re-evaluation on Wednesday, the team announced that Curry is making `good progress`.
Despite securing a win in Game 1 after Curry`s early departure, the Warriors have since lost three consecutive games and now trail the series 3-1. While they suffered a significant defeat in Game 2 on the road, they had opportunities to win Games 3 and 4 at home but struggled offensively without Curry`s presence.
Reflecting on the injury after his diagnosis, Curry described it as a `gut punch` and stated that his recovery timeline would depend on his body`s healing process.
Last week, he elaborated on his approach: `This is new and from all that I’m learning about how quickly you can get back, there has to be a healing process. That’s just the way the body works. You can’t accelerate it more than what it’s telling you. After a week, [the medical staff will be] really re-evaluating every day to understand when it’s safe to even think about playing, let alone how much can you push it.`
A win in Game 5 would be crucial for the Warriors, not only to extend the series but also because it would provide three full days of rest before a potential Game 6 in San Francisco on Sunday. This significant break increases the chances that Curry could be cleared for action, which would undeniably provide a major boost to the team`s hopes.
Jasper Hawthorne