The Golden State Warriors were able to steal Game 1 of their second round series on the road, but they’ll have a much more difficult time winning the series in Stephen Curry’s absence. The two-time MVP went down with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain in the opening matchup, giving the Minnesota Timberwolves a prime opportunity to take control of the series over the next week.
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Steph will miss at least one week with the strain, which could be longer than the Dubs can handle at this stage of the season. Golden State’s Game 1 victory certainly softens the blow, but it will still be an uphill battle for the team to continue winning without Curry, especially against a hungry Timberwolves squad.
Shannon Sharpe sympathized with the 37-year-old guard, reminiscing on the injuries that derailed his own Hall of Fame career. Sharpe relayed head coach Steve Kerr’s comments about taking things one game at a time and not thinking too far into the future. At this moment in time, there’s no guarantee Steph returns in this series, especially considering his age.
The Denver Broncos legend also pointed out that this was the first muscle strain of Curry’s 16-year career, which could make it even tougher to come back from. “That’s the thing, man, as you get older, Ocho, I never had a hamstring injury until … I was going to Baltimore. Got a little heavy in the offseason. I got me a little money … So I kinda let myself go a little bit,” Sharpe recalled.
“My playing weight 228 [pounds]. I stepped on the scale, I looked down. I’m 256 [pounds],” Sharpe continued before explaining how he attempted to get the weight off. “I take that 405, I hit that thing like six, seven times … I’m taking them 160, 170-pound dumbbells, I’m playing with ‘ em … I messed around out there, tried to run, try to … Ah!” the 56-year-old re-enacted his late-career injury.
Similarly to Sharpe, Curry has maintained his elite production into the twilight of his career. But even the smallest injuries can become debilitating once an athlete reaches their late-30s, so the Warriors will be taking a cautious approach with their star.
The Golden State Warriors must respond with energy in Game 2
Even after winning the first contest, it feels like the Warriors are down in this series. The Dubs often struggle whenever Steph is on the bench, but luckily for Golden State, the Wolves haven’t exactly turned their offense into a well-oiled machine. With Jimmy Butler known to turn up the heat in the playoffs, the Warriors are far from done.
As improbable as it may seem right now, a Game 2 victory would be crucial for a Warriors team that doesn’t know when its leader will return. Underdogs have taken nearly every contest in this second-round so far, so the Dubs would simply be following the trend if they surprised Minnesota with another road victory.
With three days between Games 5 and 6, those games have been marked as the potential return date for Steph, who may need even more than a week after he’s re-evaluated. Even if he can return by then, though, Golden State will need at least one more victory before then to avoid completely losing control of the series.
