The Golden State Warriors had a quick turnaround after their Game 7 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday. On Tuesday night, in Game 1 of the second round against the Minnesota Timberwolves, they came out strong, building a double-digit lead in the second quarter.
However, their momentum took a hit when 37-year-old superstar Stephen Curry left the game with an apparent injury early in the second period. Curry had already scored 13 points, including three three-pointers, before exiting.
Grimacing as he moved up the court, Curry signaled to head coach Steve Kerr that he needed to be taken out. He walked off the court without hesitation and headed straight to the locker room.
Shortly after, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Curry had been officially ruled out for the remainder of the game with a left hamstring strain, raising significant concerns for the Warriors as they move forward in the series.
While the severity of the strain is still to be determined, hamstring injuries are known to be slow to heal, and given Curry's age and his style of play—characterized by constant movement both with and without the ball—Golden State may need to prepare for a version of their franchise player that is less than 100% for the foreseeable future. 
Another downside of this series—and the timing of Curry’s injury—is that there is only one day of rest between each of the first five games, meaning there will be limited time for Curry to recover. With a prime opportunity to compete for a championship on the line, it would be shocking to see him miss any significant time, Especially if Golden State finds themselves in a hole after Game 1 and 2.
