4-time NBA champion Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors will soon face off against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Semi-Finals on Tuesday night.
Curry and Golden State’s Game 1 outing against Minnesota comes just two days after their magnificent first-round close-out victory in Game 7 over the Houston Rockets on Sunday.
The legendary point guard was not only punished physically by the Rockets’ hounding defense, he also spent the 7-game series nursing an injury to his right thumb, one that Houston was controversially accused of targeting.
While the 37-year-old didn’t make any excuses and played through the irritation against Houston, one could imagine that its lingering effects could bleed into the pivotal second-round battle against an even tougher opponent. When asked if it will require the offseason to fully heal during the Warriors’ pre-game shoot-around prior to Game 1, the 11-time All-Star offered a candid response.
“It’s in a great place right now and to keep playing, I don’t know what’s going to happen down the road,” Curry shared with The Athletic’s Anthony Slater on Tuesday.
“Yeah, and it’s almost impossible for it not to (hurt when it gets hit). But I’ll be good.”
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As the all-time great comes towards the conclusion of his 16th NBA campaign, his resolve and mental fortitude has proved to remain sharp.
In the full Round 1 battle against the Rockets, Curry contributed 24.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists on a 59.1% effective field goal percentage. His outstanding box score figures also broke an NBA playoff record, as he became the oldest player in league history to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists in a single postseason series.
As Golden State comes into town to face the rising superstar Edwards and a hungry Timberwolves group, Curry will look to continue where he left off in Houston by defying the odds and coming away with a 1-0 series lead in enemy territory on Tuesday night.
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