It took less than 15 minutes in Gam 1 for the Western Conference semifinals series between the Warriors and Timberwolves to take a shift in tone.
Early in the second quarter, Golden State superstar Stephen Curry came up limping after suffering a left hamstring strain. The injury ended Curry’s night early and casts doubt over his ability to return to the floor in upcoming games and, potentially, at all this series.
While they had already built a respectable cushion with Curry, the Warriors found a way in his absence, earning a 99-88 win to steal home-court advantage from the Timberwolves. But with Curry’s status uncertain, Golden State will need to find a way to win three more games to advance.
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To win without Curry, Golden State is going to need big performances from across the board. “Playoff” Jimmy Butler can be expected to step up and fulfill the superstar role as best he can, but who else can the Warriors count on to step up and make plays without No. 30?
Here’s who Golden State needs to bring it while it awaits more answers on Curry’s status for the series.
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3 Warriors that need to step up in Stephen Curry’s absence
Buddy Hield
Hield’s highs and lows are well-documented, but his shooting highs can help make up for the GOAT-shooter-sized void left by Curry.
After hitting a record-tying nine triples in Game 7 of the opening round, Hield canned five of his eight 3-point attempts in Game 1 of the West semifinals. The recent two performances were a revelation after Hield shot a combined 0-for-6 from deep in Golden State’s back-to-back losses in the opening round.
In many ways, Curry is the Warriors’ system, but having a shooter of Hield’s caliber can help soften the blow of Curry’s absence. Not only does Hield provide floor spacing, but he also tends to hit timely shots that swing the momentum of games.
BUDDY đź‘Ź BUCKETS đź‘Ź
His fourth triple of the night… Warriors seeking a win in Game 1!
đź“ş GSW/MIN on TNT pic.twitter.com/hLXcm2sUGM
— NBA (@NBA) May 7, 2025
MORE:Â Complete Stephen Curry injury history timeline
Draymond Green
As much as Curry and Green benefit from one another, Green has an opportunity to be a key piece to the puzzle in Curry’s absence.
He’s already shown flashes of it.
Green was impressive in Golden State’s Game 1 win, finishing with 18 points (on 6-of-13 shooting), eight rebounds, and six assists. He scored 10 of his 18 points after Curry went down, but there’s more to it than just that.
Green has been shooting well as of late and, more importantly, can make up for the extra playmaking the team will miss without Curry. Most importantly, Green has an opportunity to do away with Rudy Gobert’s belief that when Curry is out, Green has no interest in making an impact on the court.
MORE:Â What Draymond Green must do to avoid automatic suspension
Brandin Podziemski
With Curry out, the Warriors are going to need more from Podziemski. Full stop.
Golden State’s second-year guard went 1-of-7 for three points in Game 1, though he did pull down eight rebounds and three assists in the contest. That he found other ways to be impactful is important, but Podziemski will need to provide more of a scoring punch given his place in the rotation.
Like many young players — and other members of the Warriors supporting cast — we have seen the best and worst of Podziemski. This postseason, Golden State is 4-1 this postseason when Podziemski scores at least nine points.
Not for nothing, the last time the Warriors won without Curry in the lineup, Podziemski scored 17 points (on 6-of-10 shooting) in an 11-point home win over the Bucks. Golden State needs more of that.
