Just as things got hot for the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the NBA playoffs, they were given a blow to make the spine of the Dubnation cold. Franchise’s heartbeat Stephen Curry suffered left hamstring tension against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1, and was expected to miss at least a week, the team confirmed Wednesday.
Curry finished the match on Tuesday night midway through the second quarter after scoring 13 points in minutes. He appears to have tweaked his feet after a regular floater, then signal to the bench and stepped straight into the locker room. MRI later revealed Grade 1 tension.
What’s next: Important stretch without Steph
Games 2, 3, and 4 on the nearby horizon, and the first two of Minneapolis’ enemy lawns, face the warriors’ challenging path ahead. Curry’s oldest return is for Game 5 on May 14th, but it depends entirely on how he proceeds with rehabilitation.
Head coach Steve Kerr admitted the emotional weight of the injury.
“He’s clearly been crushed,” Kerr said after the match. “But the guys went to pick him up and played an amazing game. We’ll do everything we can to hold it down until he comes back.”
Golden State will step up in Game 1
Even as their leaders were on the sidelines, the Warriors showed calm. Draymond Greene put on a vintage all-around performance, locking down Anthony Edwards defensively, chipping with 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Newly acquired veteran Jimmy Butler flirted with a triple double, while Buddy Heald poured in 24 points to secure a gritty 99-88 victory and stealing home court advantage from the wolves.
A new chapter in playoff adversity
This is not an unfamiliar territory for the Golden State. Curry missed a key game during playoff runs in both 2016 and 2018. However, at the time, the Warriors were armed with young Clay Thompson, Andreig Odara, Kevin Durant, and others.
This version of the team is more vulnerable. This is more leaner, older and relies on the aggressive magic of curry. Golden State’s supporting cast must keep on holding the load as the Timberwolves are hungry for responding in Game 2.
Hamstring strains are well known for being tricky. Although he has fought many injuries throughout his career, next week will be crucial for Curry, which is not a hamstring issue.
Golden State will be cautious. This is because the set time doesn’t just mean losing the series. It could completely change the long-term trajectory of hope for the playoffs.
The final words
Stephen Curry’s injury casts a long shadow on what has become a heavily contested Western Conference series. But if we’ve learned over the years, it’s this: Never count the warriors, even if their wizards are at the helm.
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