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Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry has been diagnosed with a low-grade left hamstring strain and will miss Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, league sources told ClutchPoints on Wednesday afternoon. His status for the remainder of the Western Conference Semifinals is up in the air, as the team has not provided a clear timetable for when he could return.
The early expectation is that Curry will miss multiple games against the Timberwolves. He will be re-evaluated in one week, the team announced.
Curry left the Warriors' Tuesday night's Game 1 in Minnesota during the second quarter after pulling up and knocking down a floater in the lane with about 8:48 on the clock. Immediately, Steph grabbed at his left hamstring and pointed to the Warriors' bench, signaling that he needed to come out of the game. At the next dead-ball, Curry gingerly walked off the court and went straight to the team's locker room.
Not long after, Golden State announced that he would not return to the game due to a left hamstring strain. He finished the game with 13 points and three triples in 13 minutes. Ultimately, the Warriors went on to win 99-88 in surprising fashion, holding their opponent under 90 points for the second straight game in the playoffs.
Although Curry had told Draymond Green on his way to the locker room that he was fine and would be back, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. was the one to relay the bad news to Green on the bench moments before the team ruled him out for the remainder of Game 1.
After Game 1's victory, head coach Steve Kerr did not have much of an update on Curry's health other than the fact that Steph was “crushed” about the injury.
“I talked to him at halftime. He's obviously crushed,” Kerr said. “Obviously we're all concerned about Steph, but it's part of the game. Guys get hurt, and you move on. Our guys did a great job of moving on and getting a great win.
“It's amazing group of guys. These guys compete, they're together, and we've been the best defense in the league since the Jimmy trade. That's what's keeping us afloat.”
Stephen Curry's availability for remainder of series vs. Timberwolves
Curry is not only set to miss Game 2 against the Timberwolves on Thursday night in Minneapolis, but the early expectation is that he will miss at least a week, sources said. This is the first time Curry has sustained a hamstring injury, which is why there is no clear timetable for his eventual return.
The Warriors are continuing to relay that Steph is “day-to-day” with his hamstring injury and will be evaluated daily.
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The good news surrounding Curry's injury is that there is no structural damage or tears, sources said. While Curry being injured weakens Golden State's chances of advancing to the Western Conference Finals, this is the best-case scenario given it isn't a major hamstring injury.
Without Curry on the floor in Game 1, Buddy Hield again led the team in scoring with 24 points on 5-of-8 shooting from 3-point range. Jimmy Butler recorded 20 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists, and Draymond Green scored 18 points on 4-of-10 from 3-point range.
This is the first time Green has scored at least 16 points in back-to-back games since he did so in the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors.
Overall, it was the Warriors' defensive effort that got the job done in Game 1 against the Timberwolves, as Golden State held Minnesota to just 5-of-29 (17.2 percent) from 3-point range. The Timberwolves did not make their first 3-point shot until 8:32 in the third quarter, as they were 0-of-15 from the perimeter in the first half.
Without Curry, the Warriors will be leaning on Hield and Butler to lead the way offensively. Brandin Podziemski will see more minutes as one of the main ball handlers for Golden State, and forward Jonathan Kuminga is expected to see his minutes increase as well with the Warriors needing all the scoring help they can get.
Even so, the Warriors will be focused on limiting Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves' offense. As long as Curry is sidelined, the Dubs will need to lean on their defense to limit Minnesota's scoring opportunities, much like they did in Game 1.
Curry, who has been battling an injured thumb throughout the playoffs, is now in danger of missing the remainder of this Western Conference Semifinals series with a left hamstring injury. If Curry is unable to return in any capacity in this series, Kerr and the Warriors will have their work cut out for them.
There is only one day of rest between each game through Game 5 in Minnesota. Then, there are three rest days before a potential Game 6 would be played, which could be significant for Curry and the Warriors regarding his chances of returning from his hamstring injury.
