When a pelvic contusion forced Jimmy Butler to miss a game in the first-round Rockets series, he found a way to make an impact without having to suit up. The veteran forward shifted to a temporary mentor role, guiding Stephen Curry and Co. from the sidelines. Jimmy was everything you would expect from a leader: Vocal. Animated. Assertive. But after Steph suffered a hamstring strain on Tuesday, the roles were quickly reversed in tonight’s Timberwolves clash.

While Butler was on the court trying to will the Warriors to victory, Steph was forced to sit on the sidelines, out for at least a week with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain. So, Curry did exactly what Jimmy did in the last series. He utilized his veteran playoff experience to guide and motivate his teammates. Sure, the Bay Area team ended up getting blown out anyway, but Curry did everything he could to help them amid the unfortunate injury.

And Jimmy, Jimmy acknowledged his impact during the post-game presser, “Yeah. Talking the game, what he sees, what we should be doing on both sides of the ball. And even though he’s not out there, he still expects us and wants us to win. So, as often as he’s telling us, ‘Hey, this guy needs to be here. On defense, this is what everybody needs to be doing.’ We gotta listen cause he’s seeing it firsthand, a lot of stuff that everybody else can’t see. So, he’s definitely still out there on the bench with us.”

Even Trayce Jackson-Davis chimed in to reveal how Curry’s energy from the sidelines motivated the entire team, “Yeah, Steph is Steph. He’s the best teammate ever. Overall, he’s always talking, coaching, bringing energy, bringing life to the group. And that’s something we need, especially from him because you see him engaged and locked in on the sideline even though he can’t play, this shows how much it means to him.”

Unfortunately, Curry will miss at least two more games in this series. So, a temporary mentor and coach seems to be his new locker room role until he is fully recovered. But when will that be?

Steve Kerr finds comfort in Stephen Curry’s leadership as return remains uncertain amid Wolves series

After Steph injured his hamstring on Tuesday, renowned medical expert Dr. Nirav Pandya highlighted that his return depends on the severity of the strain. Fortunately, it was diagnosed as just a Grade 1 sprain, which is usually a micro tear. However, according to one of Dr. Pandya’s studies, the mean time missed by players with hamstring strain was six games.

As of now, Steph has already been sidelined for Games 3 and 4, and will be re-evaluated in a week. Even then, his comeback is not certain.

Obviously, this puts Warriors in a tough spot. But at least they have Steph guiding them from the sidelines. And Steve Kerr is finding comfort in his presence amid the unfortunate circumstances, “We talked a couple times during the game. He was talking to all the players. I don’t know exactly what he was saying to the guys but it’s very comforting having him on that bench for our guys.”

Maybe Steph’s veteran experience will help the Warriors bounce back on Saturday and take a lead in the series once again. Do you think they can do it without their best player on the court?