What is the worst thing that can happen to a team as it is making its way through the playoffs? If your answer was ‘Their star player getting injured’, then award some brownie points to yourself. The Golden State Warriors now find themselves in this situation after Stephen Curry sustained a hamstring injury during Game 1 of the Warriors-Timberwolves series. The team was able to avoid a win in the first matchup, but what about the next, and the next after that? After all, the recovery period will not be a short one. It won’t be a comfortable one either, as told by someone who went through it himself.

Gary Payton II participated in a presser after the Warriors’ 99-88 win against the Timberwolves. When asked about the challenges he faced when recovering from an ailment like this, Payton II replied, “A lot of conditioning. Gonna have to do a lot of conditioning (to) get back. But, it’s not fun. It’s uncomfortable day to day, especially when early, you feel it. You got to get through it. Get through the little, the rest period, where you got to let it heal.”

Doesn’t sound good, does it? Add the fact that one may not be fully recovered during that period. In a series like the playoffs, the fewer games one avoids, the better. Especially if you are that team’s lead scorer.

Stephen Curry has dealt with several issues throughout his NBA career. His ankle has been the one that gave him the most trouble, due to which Curry had been listed amongst the league’s ‘injury-prone’ individuals by his 3rd season. However, this marks the first time in the history of his 16-year career that the player has sustained a hamstring injury.

Therefore, while there was some injury history for his other body parts to determine a recovery period, this is uncharted territory. After Stephen Curry’s exit from the game, Dr. Nirav Pandya, M.D.,  took to his official X account. The physician had also given opinions on Curry’s previous injuries. After seeing the play in which Curry sustained the ailment, he revealed details of a study. The same study looked at similar hamstring injuries in NBA players over 5 years. It found the ‘mean time’ for recovery to be about 6 games!

NBA and NFL Injury Insider, Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT, did not give any better news. After all, according to him, the typical timeline of healing is up to 7-10 days for Grade I. For Grade II, it is 3-6 weeks. Neither of which is a good option when facing a team like the Minnesota Timberwolves. And that’s a team led by the player who was No. 4 in the league in scoring average.

Fortunately, not all hope is lost, or, that is at least what Gary Payton II wants us to believe.

Gary Payton II places faith in Jimmy Butler and co to carry the team amidst Stephen Curry’s absence

After concluding the Warriors-Rockets series, it was Stephen Curry who credited Jimmy Butler for getting the team to the playoffs. His exact words were, “That’s why we’re here. I mean, we were what, 10th place, at one point in February finished the year with a sense of urgency on the run, to even get it to the play-in to give ourselves a chance.”

The experience that the veteran brought alongside him, combined with the instant chemistry he formed with the likes of Curry and Draymond Green gave the Warriors a fighting chance after an initial disastrous run. Now, Butler will again be depended on as the Warriors look to avoid a 2nd round elimination.

In the same presser, Gary Payton II was asked how Jimmy Butler can reduce the Warriors from being as ‘scared’ and ‘adjusted’ when Curry used to get injured earlier. The shooting guard replied, “You still get life, you know. You got Jimmy and Dray (Draymond Green)”. Furthermore, Butler and Green aren’t the only people to depend on. In the end having a force like Jimmy Butler makes everything better.

“When you got another alpha like Jimmy, give him the ball and, play off him,” Payton II continued. “So, we hold our breath when he went down. I mean Steph went out. But we still got Jimmy Buckets.” An article by NBC Sports reporter Dalton Johnson carried the words that every Warriors fan knows to be true: “Steph’s injury is why Warriors acquired Butler as insurance.” Steve Kerr himself once said, when describing final quarter plays, that, “Putting the ball in his (Butler’s) hands in a situation like that is pretty comforting.” 

Having averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in the Warriors-Rockets series, Jimmy Butler will have to improve upon this if he wishes to take the position of the lead scorer. What are your thoughts Buckets and his play? Let us know in the comments below.