Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was left speechless as he witnessed Stephen Curry in tears after learning the severity of his latest injury.
As reported by Marcus Thompson of The Athletic on Wednesday, Kerr was deeply emotional after Curry suffered a hamstring injury during Game 1 of the Warriors’ Western Conference Semifinals matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. When asked postgame about the moment he embraced Curry at halftime, Kerr could only say:
“That’s all I could do. I just feel so bad for him. Everything that he does. How much he cares.”
Curry exited early in the second quarter after pulling up from 14 feet and immediately reaching for his left leg. He did not return to the bench and remained in the locker room for the rest of the game.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Curry has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain in his left hamstring—his first hamstring strain in a 16-year career. While not the most severe grade, the injury poses challenges due to Curry’s age (37) and the uncertainty around recovery timelines for first-time soft tissue injuries. He is expected to miss at least one week, ruling him out of Thursday’s Game 2 in Minneapolis.
An Aging Warrior Faces Another Setback
Curry has dealt with multiple injuries throughout his career, having missed a total of 246 games. However, this latest setback carries more weight, not just because of the injury itself but due to the aging core of the Warriors, who still have title hopes.
Despite Curry’s early exit, the Warriors held on for a 99–88 win in Game 1. Curry played just 13 minutes but still managed 13 points on efficient 5-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-6 from deep. In his absence, Buddy Hield stepped up with 24 points, Jimmy Butler added 20, and Draymond Green contributed 18.
But the question remains: can the Warriors keep winning without their superstar?
Uncertain Path Ahead
The Warriors will rely heavily on Butler moving forward. The 35-year-old has a track record of elevating his play in the postseason, having led Miami to multiple Finals runs. However, Green isn’t known for his scoring, and while Hield exploded for 33 points in Game 7 against Houston, he had been inconsistent before that—averaging just 7.2 points over the first six games of that series.
Without Curry, the NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers, Golden State faces a tough road ahead. The team’s playoff success—and their hopes of another championship—may now hinge on how well the supporting cast can perform under pressure.