On Saturday, May 10, the Golden State Warriors fell to a 102-97 defeat against the Minnesota Timberwolves. It was the second game the Warriors were without Stephen Curry, who is dealing with a grade one hamstring strain. Without their star player, Golden State found itself in a difficult position, however, the entire roster fought on every possession and gave a good account of themselves.
During his postgame news conference, Jimmy Butler gave an honest assessment of the challenge the Warriors currently face. Butler noted that without Curry, the team needs to be near perfect if they want to stay alive in the Western Confernece Semifinals.
“Obviously with Steph out there, he demands two to three bodies when he’s out there on the floor,” Butler said. “When he’s not, there’s just no room for error. You can’t make mistakes. You can’t turn the ball over…And then you’ve got to take the right shots. You’ve got to move the ball the right way because he’s the one individual, for sure on this team, maybe in the league, that can make sure you’re never out of any game. So, like I said, we just have to be better and limit our mistakes.”
Curry’s earliest expected return to the rotation is game six against the Timberwolves. As such, the rest of the roster must ensure it forces a deep series against the Timberwolves, who currently lead 2-1. Steve Kerr’s roster must find a way to win the next home game before heading back to Minnesota; only then will it stand a chance of having Curry back for a potential close-out game.
The Warriors will be back in action for game four on Monday, May 12. That game is a must-win if Kerr’s team wants to give Curry a chance to return to the rotation and potentially help his team fight for a spot in the Conference Finals.
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