Warriors Face Uphill Battle Without Curry in Game 5
Ohm YoungmisukMay 13, 2025, 03:07 AM ET
SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors are in a precarious position as they head into Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. With their season hanging by a thread, the absence of their superstar, Stephen Curry, looms large. Curry, who has been sidelined with a left hamstring injury, told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears on Monday night that he does not expect to return to the court for the crucial matchup.
“Even if I wanted to be Superman, I couldn’t,” Curry candidly admitted, acknowledging the limitations imposed by his injury. His teammate, Draymond Green, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the team is not going to attempt to “Superman this thing” if Curry isn’t fully ready to return.
The Warriors’ struggles without Curry were evident in Game 4, where they fell 117-110 to the Timberwolves. Now trailing 3-1 in the series, the Warriors must secure a victory in Minneapolis to keep their playoff hopes alive, likely without their star player. Curry suffered a Grade 1 left hamstring strain in the second quarter of Game 1 on May 6 and will be reevaluated on Wednesday, the day of Game 5.
Should the Warriors manage to extend their season, Curry could potentially have an additional three days to recover before a possible Game 6 on Sunday at Chase Center. Green, when asked about Curry’s potential return, stated, “No, we’re not going to Superman this thing. If he’s in a place where he can play, I’m sure he will. Him and Rick [Celebrini, Warriors VP of player health and performance] and everybody will figure that out. But we don’t need [Curry to try to be] Superman.”
Green continued, “Gotta 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.”
In Curry’s absence, the Warriors were undone by a 17-0 run in the third quarter, which turned a 68-all game into a decisive advantage for the Timberwolves. The Warriors were outscored 39-17 in that quarter. Jimmy Butler, who had been a key player with 33 points in Game 3, struggled in Game 4, taking only nine shots and finishing with 14 points and six rebounds.
Green revealed that Butler was feeling ill throughout the day, which may have impacted his performance. “We obviously need him shooting the ball,” Green said. “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.”
Green took responsibility for Butler’s lack of opportunities, saying, “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.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr also acknowledged the need for Butler to be at his best, especially with Curry likely needing more time to recover. “He wasn’t as aggressive tonight,” Kerr said. “But I didn’t see a lot of openings either. Ideally, we could put more shooting around him to open up the floor a little bit. But with Steph out, we’re not going to be able to do as much of that.”
Kerr added, “We’ll look at the tape and see where we can find some openings for him. And I know he’ll be aggressive for Game 5.”
On the other side, Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards, who scored 30 points in Game 4, expressed his desire to compete against Curry. “Trust me, man, I wish he could be out there to play against him, no matter how it goes,” Edwards said. He fondly recalled their time together on the USA Basketball Olympic team that won gold in Paris last summer.
Edwards shared a moment from their summer workouts, saying, “I was like, ‘I ain’t never going to stop shooting them. I learned that from you this summer.’ He’s the greatest. Greatest shooter of all time. I would definitely love to compete against him, man, but he got hurt, unfortunately, and I hope he gets better.”
As the Warriors prepare for Game 5, the question remains: Can they find a way to win without their Superman?
- Stephen Curry is unlikely to play in Game 5 due to a left hamstring injury.
- The Warriors are down 3-1 in the series against the Timberwolves.
- Jimmy Butler struggled in Game 4, scoring only 14 points.
- Draymond Green emphasizes the need to play the long game without Curry.
- Anthony Edwards expresses his wish to compete against Curry.
Originally Written by: Ohm Youngmisuk
