The Golden State Warriors claimed an impressive Game 1 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on Tuesday, but it came at a potentially devastating cost as Stephen Curry suffered a hamstring strain during the second-quarter.
Despite the 99-88 Game 1 win, Curry's injury could now give the Warriors an immense uphill battle to survive against the Timberwolves and advance to the Western Conference Finals. In particular, their ability to create offense without the 2x MVP will once again be truly tested.
Warriors now face huge offensive concerns without Stephen Curry
Golden State's inability to generate offense without Curry on the floor has been a long-term problem, and became such a worry this season that the front office had little choice but to take a major swing on 6x All-Star Jimmy Butler.
Butler has been immense and perhaps the biggest reason the Warriors find themselves in this position, but the offense will likely still face significant issues without Curry. Golden State had a 118.4 offensive rating with Curry on the floor this season, while dropping to a 105 rating with him off the floor.
Those numbers have become even more contrasting so far in the playoffs -- Golden State have a 115.7 offensive rating with Curry on the floor, as opposed to 90.6 with him off. The Warriors had a 104.2 offensive rating in Game 1 against the Timberwolves -- well below the 114.2 they held in the regular season.
Still, the visitors did enough to come away with a Game 1 victory as Buddy Hield starred again in the second-half after his heroics in Game 7 against the Houston Rockets. The veteran sharpshooter had all 24 of his points after Curry got injured, while Butler added 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
Can Golden State rely on Hield to continue his production from the last two games? Season history would suggest that's unlikely, not too mention the improbability that they get four first-half threes and 18 points from Draymond Green again.
It makes for significant concerns on whether the Warriors can possibly win without Curry, and places even more pressure on their defense to replicate the sort of performance they've now produced over the past two games.
After keeping the Rockets to 89 points on 40.5% shooting on the road in Game 7, the Golden State defense was even better against the Timberwolves in keeping the hosts to 31 points in the first-half and 39.5% shooting for the game.
Yet keeping Minnesota to 17.2% 3-point shooting would appear unsustainable, meaning the Warriors will have to find a way on both ends to pull out another victory without Curry available.
