The Warriors are facing a 3-1 deficit in their second-round series against Minnesota after dropping Game 4 on Monday night.
Star guard Stephen Curry, who sustained a Grade 1 left hamstring strain in Game 1 against the Wolves, told Marc J. Spears of Andscape that he does not expect to play in Wednesday’s Game 5 with Golden State on the brink of elimination (Twitter link).
“Even if I wanted to be Superman, I couldn’t,” Curry said.
As Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes, the two-time MVP was referring to a comment made by Draymond Green after Monday’s loss.
“No, we’re not going to Superman this thing,” Green said when asked if he expects Curry to try to push to come back, and if so, would Green be a part of that conversation. “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.”
Curry is set to be reevaluated on Wednesday after initially sustaining the injury on May 6. He suggested last week that he was unlikely to play in Game 5, with a subsequent report from ESPN’s Shams Charania stating that the Warriors viewed a possible Game 6 as “the earliest potential window” for Curry to resume playing.
Due to a scheduling quirk, Golden State would have three days off between Game 5 and Game 6, which is tentatively scheduled for Sunday. Of course, that best-case scenario would require the Warriors to win on Wednesday in Minnesota.
As for Game 4, the Warriors were largely undone by a poor third quarter which saw Minnesota break open the tight game and build a large lead following a 17-0 run. According to Youngmisuk, Green said Jimmy Butler was feeling under the weather on Monday after the star forward managed just 13 points on nine field goal attempts. Butler had 33 points on 26 shots in Game 3.
“We obviously need him shooting the ball,” Green said of Butler. “But their defense, they were collapsing on him today. So, we tried to pick up that slack. But I know he’s not feeling well; been pretty crappy all day. That also affects the energy, as well. No excuses made here.
“I think that’s on me. I’ve got to find a way to get him into more positions to score. I think tonight, I was just trying to get him the ball, and I don’t think I got him the ball in good spots, which then allowed the defense to load up on him. So, I’ve got to do a better job of getting him the ball in better spots to where it’s not as easy for the defense to key on him.”
Even if they somehow win game 5, he’s also unlikely to play game 6.
It was a good season, but hamstrings take longer than a week to heal.
Hamstrings are tough to come back from. Even during season. And time is what they need most. Didn’t think he’d make it back. Gm3 was the game they had. Missed like 5 layups late in 4th Q.
Thunder-TimberWolves
Knicks-Pacers
You know that’s not how the NBA wanted this to turn out.
Why wouldn’t they want it to turn out this way? If they can’t have the Lakers or the Celtics the Knicks are the next best thing as far as viewers goes.
The NBA also needs some fresh faces. Steph and LeBron aren’t gonna be in the league much longer. Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson are three of the most marketable and charismatic stars in the league that aren’t LeBron or Curry.
Well, obviously because three of the four teams are small markets, which hurts numbers.
Why would they want the “next best thing?” Lol. They want the best thing. That’s the point.
Kerr been leaning way too much on Curry’s greatness. The team is built on ONLY Curry and now with him injured they look like a lottery team. The offense can’t function without Curry so you are left with a bunch of average players standing around waiting for Curry.
Butler is a great player, but at this point in his career, he isn’t viable as the number one guy carrying the team, as he proved in Miami,
It came out he was sick yesterday. Still he can’t win it all just by himself. Kerr whole offense is getting Curry open so without Curry you have players notknowing what to do.
Sick yesterday. That’s what you signed up for. A pretty good player who misses a lot of games. Not a huge surprise.
“Leaning way too much” = refusing to build any type of tangible offense without him.
If Pop is gone, Kerr gotta go too. Kerr is so bad at his job it’s just embarrassing.
Teams has adjusted against Kerr’s offense. Problem is Kerr is too stubborn to change. Without Curry the warriors are nota good tea. Kerr needs to coach not just do the same thing over and over.
No one has asked him why he is so against playing tall players in the NBA. He is obsessed with playing 4-5 guys under 6’6″ and everyone knows it and everyone knows how to beat it.
GP2 is a fan fave, but paired with Kerr, he is a not a good player. His best use is short bursts, but Kerr gives him starter minutes and we lose almost EVERY damn time because of it. Looney isn’t a fit either.
Glad both will be gone soon, hopefully along with Kerr, who is old, washed, and cant win in this league anymore, even with an all-timer. GSW needs 7 footers.
Payton is a bench player who should only be used against certain teams. Edwards and Randal are too big for him to guard. Looney brings only rebounding. Why not play Post even though his defense is not great at least it gives a 3 pt shooter on the floor to spread out the defense. How can Kerr not notice the T-wolves are ONLY guarding the good shooters and not Green or Payton.
Exactly, arc, I agree.
If one is a regular user of basketball-reference, just compare these two players off stats alone and ask why would ANY NBA HC suddenly decide one is a must-play and the other is not:
link to basketball-reference.com
link to basketball-reference.com
It’s literally because one is 6’8″ and the other is 6’2″ and Kerr MUST play the shorter player, also Kerr doesn’t even use a normal 1-5 lineup ever, so it really is “play my shortest guys” with Kerr. Why?
Kerr has lost his damn mind.
He is an older player, would be dumb to come back less than 100%
That could jeopardize next season.
Nah its just a hamstring, if the worst happens, then he is out 3 months.
They all kept bragging and said “wait for Playoff Jimmy to take over”.
9 FGA in a must win game without Curry.
More like Cancun Jimmy
Wolves in 5.
Sorry for the OG warriors fans but I saw this version of Jimmy Butler personally and he takes games and I feel bad for you guys bc Kuminga really has stepped up last two games.
Yeah, I knew at some point their turn around was going to slow down. Before the Jimmy trade, they looked at best, a 38 win team. The FO didn’t feel like the back half of the draft was going to move the needle. Still, glad they made the trade.
Its time for the warriors to do a massive over haul of the team. Age has caught up to the warriors they look very slow out there. I would put everyone on the trading block. Expecially these 1 demensional players they have. Its time to cut the chord on Payton, Looney, and Green. Same old offensive plays that every team knows the warriors will run. Need some 2 way players that the warriors lack.
Arc I don’t see any high upside trade value outside of Kuminga on that roster.
There is some value but many of them is not going to bring back more than draft picks. Green has value if a team is looking for defense. Looney and Payton should not be resigned. Butler has value if they trade him. i would trade TJD if a team offer a couple 2nd rounders for him. Dunleavy needs to think outside the box and explore foreign players. I am hoping Kerr retires because the league has adjusted against his coaching style and they need some young blood to coach the team.
Uhh…I guess you haven’t noticed. Post is from Belgium. They signed Armstrong, after rave reviews from Bogut, who is from Australia. Dunleavy is a step ahead of you.
I see them moving on from Payton. He was looking at coaching jobs before the Warriors signed him 3 years ago. I’d keep Loon as defense off the bench, but at a lower salary. I definitely wouldn’t send Green packing. People only see his volatility. But, he is a stabilizing force. How do you think Butler was able mesh with the team so quickly. Jimmy said he was grateful for Green. I think he could be good for other young players that come along.
Green’s passing this year has been terrible. Kerr needs to talk to him about it. Warriors need a back up PG which they lacked all year. Somebody who drives the ball into the basket. They also need a 7 footer that plays defense and rebounds. Kerr needs to change or the warriors will be the same team struggling to find offense.
Melton is a PG. They could probably get him cheap.
Green has the second most assists of any PF in NBA history. He is about 100 away from passing Karl Malone. Didn’t he play until he was 40. Green is like 34. Draymond is probably talking to himself.
The guys at GSOM looked it a couple of years ago. There were like 5 7-footers in the NBA that played any substantial minutes. A 7-footer who rebounds and plays defense is kinda like a Unicorn.
Green’s passing has been terrible this year. Curry and Green both are in the top TO stats. The warriors need a PG to run the show. One reason the warriors struggled in 3rd quarter you had Green and Payton on the floor at the same time. So that leaves 3 players who are offensive so T-wolves were able to double team the 3 other players.
Butler needs the Warriors as much as the Warriors need Butler. He has never been able to create his own shots. Some other successful player has always been on the floor next to him for all his best performances.
He’s very good at making use of the space someone else creates.
Sounds like the perfect sidekick to Steph Curry? I think they already called them Batman and Robin.
Yes. I think they will make a great combination next year. But I think in this next game without Curry, fans will be disappointed.
There is not a lot around Butler right now. Podz has stunk in the playoffs. Heild is OK but struggles against good defense. Green is a streaky shooter. Payton is just terrible. Kumoinga is the only offensive player he has played next to this series.
Barring a miracle, it is over. But, I feel good about the season. It could have been worse.
The Jimmy trade was the right thing to do. I think JK stays. He probably followed Kerr’s advice and watched film of Butler. And, he and Draymond started mentoring JK. He needs to work on his 3-point and FT shooting. It’ll only help him do what he does best. Teams can’t layoff him. And when drives to the basket, he can draw those fouls and make them pay from the line.
Although Podz had a sucky postseason, he built on his rookie season. Maybe the pressure of being in the playoffs for the 1st led him to putting to much pressure on himself, like how he started out the season.
Post was spectacular. He went from a #52nd pick on a 2-way contract to playing in 41 games at 14 minutes a game. He has some things to work on, but what rookie doesn’t. And people say Kerr won’t play a 7-footer…
And Trayce had a nice couple of games against the Bucks. He was in the doghouse at the beginning of the season.
With the possible breakup off the Bucks, maybe they can lure in Portis or Lopez. Melton was a good fit before he went down. There are a few bigs in draft, near where they’ll be drafting, that look like fits.
Melton is the only one of those worth getting. Lopez is done and too costly to lure him back. Portis is just looking slow. Unless Kerr start trusting his young players I don’t see the team as more than a play in team. Could be a lottery team easily if injuries happen. Benching their best 3 pt shooter when nobody else can shoot a 3 is a mistake. Post should be out there in game 5.
I wasn’t talking about playing Lopez 32 minutes for 80 games. 15 minutes a night and mentoring Post would be perfect. Veteran players have taken pay cuts for one last shot. Post needs to work on his defense.
I don’t see Lopez signing a minimum deal which what it would take to get him. My guess is he will retire than play for very little.
David West turned down 8 figures to sign with the Warriors for the minimum to chase a ring.
Warriors are not a top 8 team anymore so Lopez would go to a team with a better chance at winning.
If steph was healthy gs would be title faves considering c’s & cavs imploding
My guess is indy & okc at this point
I am ok with Curry not playing rest of the season. It would have merely delayed the inevitable for the conference finals. I’m still grateful to you, Ant and company, for what you did in the first round. Now put us to bed Wednesday night, Wolves, and hopefully Dub Nation begins to have pleasant dreams of Giannis finally wearing blue and yellow next season and re-enacting 10-times-over that bounce-pass alley-oop he and Steph stunned the basketball world with in the All-Star game some years back.
I’m embarrassed to read some of these comments calling it a finished season and that it’s over.
And people wonder why they call us “Warriors bandwagon fans” lol.
It’s not over. There’s a game to be played Wednesday. All the Warriors need is for a few things to go their way.
Hasn’t anyone seen they’ve been in most of these games? Game three and game four were winnable if the chips fell in the right place for the Warriors.
Buddy had a career game or two recently we need him to do that again. A So so game won’t cut it.
How about Gary Payton shooting threes from the corner and making a few more?
But the reality is if Podski shot well, this series would be far from over. He’s pulling a Klay and it’s costing the team.
He needs to get his rump in gear and pick it up a notch. He shot the ball so well just a month ago. We need him to do it again.
This is not over. All you bandwagon fans who jump ship before the series is even over and looking for a new ship with new players and next year are frankly embarrassing.
I wouldn’t bet on the Warriors winning the series but I haven’t been impressed with the Wolves. So, yeah, if the Warriors can get more typical contributions from some of their role players who have struggled (a big if) the Wolves are quite capable of giving the series away.
Yeah, that’s a good point though unlikely. But some of these guys here are already talking about next season. Ridiculous and embarrassing.
It takes 4 wins to move on. Nobody in this series between the wolves and the Warriors has 4 wins yet.
We just need buddy to get hot and for Podski to make a few threes… seven of them in the next game would be very convenient timing !!
Gary I already called the season over a week or so ago and you told me to have faith…and now we are down 1-3.
The Wolves have ZERO playoff aura, its annoying that they keep winning these games, they aren’t really grabbing the game by its neck and winning, its more like “watching GSW miss like 20 layups and thats game”.
“Bandwagon fan” my stiff neck! (I didn’t want to refer to the usual body part we tend to use in that phrase due to this being a family-oriented chatboard. I hope you get the point here). It’s called being a realist, GaryRedSoxxWarriors. It doesn’t have anything to do with fair weather fandom/bandwagon tendencies/leave-in-the-3rd quarter-to-beat-the-crowds sports-fan lightweights. I’m assuming you saw what I saw last night: a group of players, minus their #1 guy, who know they are not as good as their opponent. We needed to see incremental improvements with this Steph-less group, and we got that from Game 2 to Game 3. But make no mistake about it: Game 4 was a regression, Gary. If they had lost on a buzzer-beater by Ant, say, that would have been tough to swallow, yeah – but at least the Dubs would have PROgressed instead of REgressed in their efforts to extend the series long enough for a possible Steph return. It didn’t happen. They looked like a team that knows their fate and they all appeared ok with calling it a season. That’s why I’m doubtful for Wednesday. I’m a realist.
Realist? Lol. !!!
The series is 3-1, not 4-1. That’s reality.
You’re projecting and I’m not saying you’re wrong. I am saying it’s not over yet.
In fact, I think you’re probably right. The Warriors will lose on Wednesday.
But it’s not Wednesday yet !! Let’s claw and crawl and work to make sure that doesn’t happen to the best of our ability if we’re the Warriors players. That’s my mindset as a fan.
Bandwagon fans are already jumping off the ship and it hasn’t even sunk yet lol !!
Get a bucket and start bailing water.., do something. That’s the mindset.
When it’s over it’s over. Congratulations to the wolves, but it’s not over yet.
The problem is Kerr running the same offense like Curry is still out there. Unless Kerr changes his stubborness and play the young players that are motivated the same out come will happen. The older players look burned out. Twice now the bench has come in and played better. Start out game 5 with the bench players sinc ether is nothing to lose. Kerr is getting out coached because he is unwilling to change.
Yes, arc, it’s definitely happened in this post season where the bench came in on a blowout and 7 minutes later you look to the sidelines and you see the starters getting their sneakers tied up again.
Warriors bench crew are fighters and don’t give up.
The bench has more energy. The startersare burned out from the Rocket series. Whyisn’t Snatos and Post playing? Put in Knox for instant offense.
That starting lineup with TJD stunk in G4 so of course idiot Kerr runs it back in G5 to the same result. Im so glad this “nba legend with 9 rings” is our coach!!!
Watch TJD on offense. Nobody guards him. Hestands around and occasionally go to the basket. Heis like Payton only stalls out the offense. Unless he can develope a shot he will never be more than a 15th guy off the bench.
Oh, STFU Gary. Where were you when I was getting ridiculed for thinking the Warriors could get to the WCF, even if they started out as a playin team. I kept saying how they could beat OKC, Houston and Minnesota. I’m not so sure about Denver. I kept going out it on here with other posters.
You have to admit that the Warriors had to dig themselves out of huge hole to get here. Probably more than most teams can do.
Payton is not an offensive savior. Heild is inconsistent. I don’t think you want to kick Podz butt. He was doing that at the beginning of the season and he struggled.
Of course, I don’t think the T-wolves will shoot 50% from 3-point land again. Remember when Jimmy returned to Miami. The Heat shot an otherworldly 60%.
Anything can happen in the playoffs. They just have a very narrow windows.
And what is wrong with me looking at next season. I have been looking at possible FA and the draft. Dunleavy is. Why do you Knox and Armstrong are on the roster? I keep looking at bigs in the draft. There might be a couple that can help them out.
Giant i’ve always supported your comments. I give you thumbs up quite often. I’ve even specifically written that I think you have good basketball knowledge and post good comments.
But that’s OK. You can bite back. I called everyone out who is finished with the season today.
The fact is most people here don’t think the Warriors play on Wednesday lol
I’m calling you all out as bandwagon fans who have jumped ship while we’re still afloat and busy with our buckets bailing water.
You’re on the beach and we’re still on the ship keeping it a float while it is afloat.
If it sinks tomorrow, we’re all on the beach, but it’s not sunk yet !!
I’m not ok with Curry not playing. It’s win or go home and he has a hamstring injury. If the worst happens, he tears it and he’s out 3 months, who cares?
Also: how many Dub Nation posters on here said over and over “we gotta get a 7 footer at the deadline” and we didn’t? And now look at the team, it’s literally missing a single 7 footer who can guard the lane and play defense. This team needs its Bogut but MDJ failed at the deadline to find one, instead leaving Kerr and his 7 rotation regulars who are under 6’6″ to get smoked by taller players.
“I’m not ok with Curry not playing. It’s win or go home and he has a hamstring injury. If the worst happens, he tears it and he’s out 3 months, who cares?”…You are a selfish Davey. That is me being kind. I wanted to say worst things. Younger players have lost whole seasons coming back to soon from the same injury. Do you really want Curry to play until he is 50? Rushing back to quickly could end it well before he hits 40.
He really is the definition of “negative energy.”