The Golden State Warriors have received significant news that could impact their playoff series: Stephen Curry is expected to miss at least one week due to a Grade 1 hamstring strain. The team announced this update on Wednesday. This injury means Curry will be sidelined until at least Game 4 of the second-round series against the Timberwolves, which is scheduled for Monday, May 12. His precise return date is uncertain and will depend on his recovery process and treatment. Curry sustained the injury during the Warriors` Game 1 victory in Minnesota on Tuesday evening.
The initial schedule for the Warriors-Wolves series has games every other day for the first five matchups. However, there is a three-day break between Game 5 (May 14) and Game 6 (May 18). Curry`s injury is a major blow for the Warriors, especially after they secured a crucial road win in Game 1 on Tuesday night. Curry left the game in the second quarter and did not come back.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr commented on the situation after Tuesday`s game, stating, “We`re definitely game-planning for him to not be available on Thursday, but we don`t know yet. With a hamstring, it`s hard to imagine that he would play Thursday.”
Curry had a strong start to the game, scoring 13 points in his first 13 minutes in a contest the Warriors ultimately won by 11 points. After successfully making a three-pointer on one end, Curry seemed to injure himself while playing defense. Despite the apparent discomfort, he managed to stay in the game briefly and even made another shot on Golden State`s next possession before signaling for a substitution and heading straight to the locker room with a noticeable limp.
Reflecting on the impact of the injury, Kerr said, “I talked to him at halftime. He`s obviously crushed. The guys picked him up and played a great game. And obviously we`re all concerned about Steph, but it`s part of the game. Guys get hurt, you move on. Our guys did a great job of moving on and getting a great win 48 hours after a Game 7 road win. It`s an amazing group of guys. They compete. They`re together. They`ve been the best defense in the league since the Jimmy trade and that`s what`s keeping us afloat right now.”
Even with a 1-0 lead in the series, the Warriors are still considered underdogs against the Timberwolves. They hope Curry can return later in the series, but Tuesday`s game was their sixth in just 11 days following a physically demanding seven-game series against the Houston Rockets in the first round. The Rockets played a very physical style against Curry, who is 37 years old, suggesting these factors may contribute to such injuries.
Without Curry, the Warriors will likely need to rely more heavily on players like Jimmy Butler as the series progresses. Butler finished Game 1 with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists on 20 shot attempts. He has a strong track record in the postseason, having led his previous team to the NBA Finals twice.
Forward Draymond Green expressed confidence despite Curry`s absence, saying, “Jimmy`s capable of carrying a team. He carried a team to the Finals twice. We won`t panic.”
Historically, the Warriors have performed surprisingly well in playoff games without Curry. They hold a 9-3 record in postseason contests where he has been unavailable, including six games missed in 2016 and another six in 2018 due to knee injuries.
Jasper Hawthorne