Basketball is sometimes about resilience instead of wins. And that’s what the Golden State Warriors will have on their mind as they gear up to host the Minnesota Timberwolves for a massive Game 3. Sure, the series started with an impressive win for the Warriors, but along the way, they lost their best player. Stephen Curry. His left hamstring has been the cause of concern since Tuesday, but inside their locker room, conversations aren’t just about their leader getting sidelined. Their first round was an emotional and physical test.

Hope is all they have left. The injury could keep him out until Game 6. Curry’s MRI results revealed a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, which puts a lot of doubt on his immediate availability in the series. This has been a massive blow for the Warriors, something which became even more evident after Game 2. The Timberwolves dominated the Warriors 117-93. Anthony Edwards and Co. did not just win; they redefined what physicality looks like in the league. Julius Randle scored 24 points, meanwhile Anthony Edwards managed to chip in 20 points despite playing through an ankle tweak. With the series now heading to San Francisco, the Warriors need to answer a lot of questions.

One of them is when Curry could return? Well, initially it was reported that the Warriors’ sharpshooter could return in a week, but now there seems to be a huge question mark over it. If we assume that Stephen Curry does return in a week, it will set his return to be around Game 6. However, Curry’s family member, Austin Rivers, thinks Curry must be cautious and make no mistakes because it could have heavy repercussions.

“He has had the team on his f—-ng back. Depending on the severity, they said it’s a level 1, grade 1. That usually still takes a couple of weeks… All right, now they can’t afford that. He [Curry] can’t afford that. Obviously, they got the best medical medicine that’s being treated with his right now. Trying to get him back as soon as possible. But there’s some things you just can’t rush,” Rivers stated on his podcast, ‘Off Guard with Austin Rivers‘.

“Hamstrings are tricky, and I’ll tell you why. Because you’ll start to feel good, to where you’re like I feel fine. You’ll do a full workout and be like, I’m good. One move, you’re like, ah! And if you pull it again, it’s way worse the second time, to the point where if you tear it, you’re f—ed, and you’re not out for the playoffs. You’re out for the f—ing summer. Steph ain’t 26. He ain’t some young spring chicken out here running around like he was back-to-back MVP Steph. Steph’s 35, 36, whatever he is, 37-plus years old now. So, we’ve got to take that into account, too.”

So, it is likely the team will not hurry to get Stephen Curry back on the court. One poor decision could result in a career-threatening injury. It will be interesting to see how the Warriors approach this situation as they face a huge challenge against the Timberwolves. Rivers further opined, “There’s a lot that’s worrisome if you are a Warriors fan right now because the end-all be-all is Steph Curry. We don’t know what that is.”

However, in Game 2, we also saw how the GSW’s offense faltered without Curry. So, going into Game 3, Steve Kerr will have to fill in the large hole left by Curry’s absence and adjust the team to it.

Steve Kerr’s plans massive playoff changes amid Stephen Curry’s injury

With Stephen Curry no longer available for the Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr will have to make a pivot. The Warriors’ point guard has been the team’s best player yet again this season. The 37-year-old has carried his All-Star form into the postseason as he’s averaging 22.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.

So, not having him will be bad news for the Dubs fans. However, this is where the likes of Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and the rest of the Golden State players will have to step up big time because they cannot afford to fall into a deficit in Curry’s absence.

The Warriors will have Green, Butler, Post, Hield, and Podziemski. According to the hosts of the Warriors Plus Minus podcast, Kerr might be making some changes after the loss. “I don’t think they’ll start that way. I just think he’s coming in. TJD, probably, yeah. And they’re going to be crazy. Like, suddenly, Trey’s going to be like a lovely starter. Automatic. They’re going to put him right in there. In fact, Spencer’s still going to play. I just think that Kuminga is… And it’s not necessarily in for Jimmy, which is what you would think it would be. I think it’s going to be in for TJD. And then they go small, and they see what Kuminga can do with the A group,” they discussed.

The hosts think that Trayce Jackson-Davis might be given an opportunity. Well, it won’t be a huge surprise after the 25-year-old put in a solid performance in Game 2 despite the loss. He scored 15 points in just 19 minutes of action, along with six rebounds.

On the other hand, Jonathan Kuminga has also emerged as a good option to rotate. Without Curry, Steve Kerr will need more scoring options, and while one player might not provide it, rotation will be key as the Warriors gear up for a huge game at the Chase Center in San Francisco. What do you think?

UPDATE: The GSW lost Game 3 against the Timberwolves, 102-97. They now trail 2-1 in the series, and so, they need to absolutely win the upcoming game on Monday. While this loss is a tough one, especially in Curry’s absence, Golden State showed that they could put up a tough game without their star player.