Warriors had ‘a shot’ at title with healthy Stephen Curry
A few days have passed since the Golden State Warriors fell to a disappointing second-round playoff exit to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Warriors lost five games after winning Game 1, and star point guard Stephen Curry suffered a left hamstring strain. This was the first muscle strain in his career that ended his availability in the playoffs.
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Before the injury, Curry was finding his rhythm, scoring 13 points in 12 minutes while Golden State led by 10 points.
Although Golden State simply was outmatched by Minnesota over the last four games of the series, head coach Steve Kerr couldn’t help but ponder what could have been if Curry hadn’t gotten hurt.
“I don’t even have to think what [if],” Kerr said via ESPN. “I know we had a shot. I know we could have gone the distance.
“Maybe we wouldn’t have, but it doesn’t matter. Again, everything in the playoffs is about who stays healthy and who gets hot. Are you playing well at the right time?”
Although Curry isn’t the end-all be-all with the Warriors’ offensive production, he remains the head of the snake. In the first-round playoff series, the two-time league MVP showcased his scoring prowess, averaging 24.0 points on 47.1 percent shooting from the floor and 39.1 percent from beyond the arc in six games.
He has scored 20 or more points five times, including a pair of 30-point performances. After edging out the Rockets, the Warriors were heading into the second-round series against the Timberwolves with momentum.
