The Golden State Warriors may not have Stephen Curry to save them from the brink of elimination.
The two-time NBA MVP is not expected to play in Wednesday’s Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears on Monday.
“Even if I wanted to be Superman, I couldn’t,” said Curry, who is nursing a Grade 1 left hamstring strain.
Curry has not played since injuring his hamstring in the second quarter of Game 1 on May 6. Having lost all three games without their top scorer, who previously said he’d be out a week, the Warriors now face elimination in the best-of-seven second-round series.
Warriors Not Counting on ‘Superman’
Following Monday’s 117-110 loss, Warriors forward Draymond Green was quick to downplay any possibility of Curry returning before he’s ready.
“No, we’re not going to Superman this thing,” Green said when asked if he expects Curry to try to push to return. “If he’s in a place where he can play, I’m sure he will. Him and Rick (Celebrini, Warriors vice president of player health and performance) and everybody will figure that out. But we don’t need (Curry to try to be) Superman.
“Got to play the long game. If he can, we know he will. But there’s no pressure. We’ve got to figure out how to win whether he plays or not.”
The 37-year-old Curry had been averaging a team-high 22.6 points per game in the playoffs prior to his injury, along with 5.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists. He had 13 points on 5 of 9 shooting (3 of 6 on 3-pointers) over 13 minutes in a 99-88 win to open the series.
Asked following Game 4 if Curry would be allowed to play Wednesday if he said he was able, Warriors coach Steve Kerr declined to address hypotheticals. Should they manage to extend the series, Game 6 would be Sunday back in the Bay Area.
“When are we giving the update?” Kerr asked a team PR representative. “Wednesday, we’ll have an update.”
All Eyes Turn to Butler
Golden State will look to Jimmy Butler to try to keep its season afloat. Coming off a 33-point outburst in Game 3, the six-time all-star was limited only 14 points on 5 of 9 shooting.
The Warriors led by two at halftime but were outscored 39-17 during the third quarter, as Minnesota flipped closely contested contest into a decisive win.
“We obviously need him shooting the ball,” Green said, adding that Butler had been feeling ill. “But their defense, they were collapsing on him today. So, we tried to pick up that slack.”
