Subscribe
Follow Us
The Golden State Warriors need Stephen Curry on the court to be a championship-caliber team. Unfortunately, Curry has missed two straight games with a left hamstring injury that he suffered in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Without Curry, the Warriors have dropped their last two games and are now down 2-1 in the series ahead of Monday night's important showdown.
Although Golden State came close to defeating the Timberwolves in Game 3, Anthony Edwards ultimately led his team to a 102-97 win. Now, the Dubs must focus all their energy on winning Game 4 in front of their home faithful, as going back to Minneapolis down 3-1 would be a death sentence, especially without Curry.
As the two-time MVP guard continues to work on his hamstring injury behind the scenes, many continue to ask: “Is Stephen Curry playing tonight in Game 4 against the Timberwolves?”
Stephen Curry, Warriors injury report
When the Warriors announced that Curry suffered a left hamstring strain in their Game 1 win over the Timberwolves, the announcement said that the medical personnel would re-evaluate him in one week. Hamstring injuries can be tough, and the Warriors are not prepared to rush Curry back until he is cleared by the team's main medical personnel.
As a result, Steph will miss his third consecutive game on Monday night in Game 4 against the Timberwolves.
The good news for the Warriors is that with their season on the line, Curry is the only player on their injury report. Gary Payton II, although listed with a left thumb splint, will be available to play.
Payton suffered a torn ligament in his left thumb near the end of the regular season, which is likely why he now has this splint in the playoffs. The springy swingman has played in all three games against the Timberwolves and recently recorded 26 minutes as a primary defender on Edwards in Game 3's loss on Saturday night.
Article Continues Below
Without Curry on the court, head coach Steve Kerr has turned to Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield as the main offensive contributors next to Jimmy Butler. The Warriors' panic meter is rising, which is why Game 4 in San Francisco is an inflection point in this series.
A win for Golden State evens the series, potentially allowing Curry to return in the final stages of the series. However, a loss puts the Dubs in a 3-1 hole with Curry's status still uncertain and the Warriors facing an elimination game in Minnesota.
This is a must-win game for the Warriors, which is why Kerr is prepared to do whatever it takes regarding his lineups and rotations. The Warriors looked great defensively in Game 3, and Kerr understands that is where his team needs to build an identity without Curry to prolong this series.
“I think we're gonna win the series with defense. We're not gonna beat them in a skill game; we have to get stops to win the series. Without Steph, obviously, we're a totally different team,” Kerr said after Game 3's loss. “If we can get stops and run and create some offense off of our defense, that's part of the formula.”
While the Warriors will be without their star guard in Game 4, Curry continues to progress behind the scenes. Steph went through a small workout before Game 3 on Saturday with the Warriors' training staff, but he is not running or moving at full speed yet.
Rick Celebrini, the team’s lead medical decision-maker, is closely monitoring Curry's status, and it is unlikely he will be able to return before Game 6 if the Warriors can extend the series that far.
So when it comes to whether Stephen Curry will in Game 4 on Monday, the Warriors have made it clear that their star will miss his third straight game. There is currently no clear return date for Steph and his hamstring injury.
