Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors left Game 1 of the playoffs with a left hamstring strain. This injury makes his status for Game 2 questionable. The injury happened in the second quarter after Curry hit a driving 14-foot floater. After sinking the layup, he immediately grabbed his left leg with evident pain.
Curry will be re-evaluated with an MRI on Wednesday to determine the severity of the strain. For now, the Warriors have him listed as day-to-day and will continue to hope in silence with fans and teammates until they know more. The 37-year-old guard was integral to the Warriors’ 2018 first-round upset over the Houston Rockets. His seven-game average was 24 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game respectively peaking at 28 against Colorado.
In Game 1, Curry only played 13 minutes before being forced out of the game, scoring 13 points. His rapid exit left a monumental space on the floor. This was especially painful given that he was already fighting through an injured shooting thumb. After the half, he was seen in the locker room with ice on his hamstring. This was a comforting display, as it was a clear sign that everyone was taking his condition very seriously.
And as he limped out of the visitors’ locker room at the Target Center late Tuesday, Curry didn’t seem disappointed. This put a major question mark on his availability for Thursday’s important Game 2. Here’s Warrior’s Coach Steve Kerr on how careful the team was with Durant and realizing that hamstring injuries are so unpredictable.
“We have to operate as if we won’t have Stephen for Thursday’s game,” said Kerr.
The worst case scenario of Curry missing a significant amount of time is a crushing blow for Golden State. His scoring capacity and playmaking from the lead-guard spot are essential to their offensive identity. As always, Kerr and his coaching staff will be flying blind. They now need to figure out how to replace their top scorer and all-MAAC player while keeping pace offensively.
Curry’s teammate Draymond Green said he had complete faith in his other teammates to rally and step up during Curry’s absence. At his press conference, he pointed out how other players have stepped up into important roles in the past.
“Alfred turned into Robin, and they just filled in. It was beautiful to see.” – Draymond Green
Jimmy Butler, an unapologetically candid peer who has lovingly given Curry the nickname “Batman,” added his two cents on the matter. He went on to recognize how important Curry was to the Warriors and wished him the best in recovering so soon.
“I think we all want [No.] 30 back, that is for sure,” said Butler. “But we want him to do his best for himself, best for our group. Until then, we can hold down the fort. I know we can.”
The Warriors have overcome a ton of adversity this season. They remain confident that the experience of their veteran leadership will help carry them through to this next challenge. Green told the worried, hardened fans that even if Curry doesn’t play, the championship-ready Warriors have what it takes to step up.
“Jimmy’s capable of carrying a team. He carried a team to the Finals twice. So we won’t panic,” Green added.
The Warriors are still waiting to see the exact diagnosis from Curry’s MRI, and will continue to monitor his progress. In the meantime, they continue to prepare for Game 2 with optimism tempered by realism. The team understands that they must rally together if they are to continue their playoff journey without their star player.
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