Despite losing Stephen Curry due to a hamstring injury early in Game 1 of their second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Golden State Warriors were still able to steal home-court advantage. Curry will miss the entirety of Game 2 and likely be sidelined throughout the rest of the series.
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Stephen A. Smith names is focused on someone to fill the void. He names four-time NBA champion Draymond Green as the crucial piece to the Warriors hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy once again.
Once Curry headed to the locker room, questions began to arise regarding who would step up in his absence. The answer was Green. The four-time All-Star finished with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, including four made three-pointers. Usually, teams would sag off of Green when he is on the perimeter, but he made the Wolves pay.
Once Golden State acquired Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, their expectations increased rapidly after they went 22-8 in the last 30 games of the regular season. In the recent episode of ESPN’s First Take, Smith believes that goal is possible for the Warriors, but that outcome relies on Green’s performance.
“If Draymond Green shows up and is hitting open perimeter shots, I want to be on the record that the Golden State Warriors could win the championship,” Smith proclaimed.
It needs to be understood that Smith doesn’t expect this level of performance from Green while Curry is out. But he believes an extra offensive cushion from the 12-year veteran would be the cherry on top for the Warriors.
Scoring has never been a strong suit of Green’s skill set since he joined the NBA. He hasn’t averaged double-digits in points since the 2017-18 season. The difference now is that there is more opportunity for Green to assert himself on the offensive end. Especially during this stretch without Curry.
Reports confirmed Curry will be out for Game 2, and the team expects the injury to keep him out for at least a week, if not far mroe. The most the Warriors can hope for is staying afloat while they await their superstar point guard to return to the lineup. The performances of Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Buddy Hield will be crucial.
The Warriors will strive to gain a convincing 2-0 lead over the Timberwolves tonight at 8:30 PM ET on TNT.
