One of the biggest stories ongoing in the NBA is the injury to Steph Curry. The Chef missed most of Game 1 in his team’s playoff series against the Wolves and will be out at least a week with a hamstring strain. That means that the four-time champion might not be back until Game 5, possibly later. Basketball legends Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are now weighing in on what that means for the Dubs.
Warriors fans are not panicking yet. Golden State won Game 1 99-88, where Curry only played 13 minutes. Bad news is they got blown out in Game 2 117-93, and were definitely missing their superstar sharpshooter. Pierce and KG feel for the Warriors, but are skeptical that they’ll be able to survive this series against the Wolves, even if Curry does return.
“They a contender, but everything got to go right for them,” Pierce began. However, those were The Truth’s thoughts before they lost the league’s most efficient 3-point shooter. Despite having Jimmy Butler and future Hall of Famer Draymond Green, Pierce explained that the Dubs are out of second chances.
“They don’t have room for error as far as losing anybody new and a major piece of the rotation. Then they lose Curry? I don’t know if they can withstand that,” he admitted. Game 2 was a clear picture of that, as the Warriors’ offense looked entirely lost for large stretches of the contest.
Pierce then speculated about what type of effect Curry would even have if he did come back to finish the series. “Even if he do come back…that hamstring…you ain’t feeling comfortable with that,” said Pierce regarding the 37-year-old’s injury. Garnett, who had been relatively silent up until this point, backed up his longtime friend’s analysis.
“I always worry about his usage,” said the 15-time All-Star, who later clarified that no one in the league is in as much motion as The Chef. “Curry probably has the most movement and usage in the league,” KG added, pointing to the fact that the injury is only going to hold him back from playing at his best.
The Timberwolves may have themselves an easy path toward a second straight Conference Finals appearance. But if Steph Curry has proven one thing throughout his legendary career, it’s that you can never count him out until the series is over. If the Warriors can squeak out one more win at home, then there’s a good chance Curry provides that final spark they would need to return to the show.
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