Curry, will the Warriors savior come? US media: The probability of Curry returning to the series against the Timberwolves has dropped to 42%

Curry was injured and the Warriors were in trouble

In the intense NBA playoff schedule, the injury factor has always been like a very uncertain hidden danger, which may bring severe challenges to each team at any time. Such an unfavorable situation unfortunately came in G1, the Warriors and Timberwolves Western Conference semifinals. As the game entered a critical period, Curry suddenly felt unwell after an attack and was forced to leave the field due to a strained left hamstring. This scene made all fans who were paying attention to this game deeply worried, and also put the Warriors in an extremely passive situation.

Curry's injury is undoubtedly a major loss for the Warriors. As the core and soul of the team, his value is not only reflected in the stable output at the scoring end, but also a key hub for the team's tactical system to operate efficiently. His superb three-point shooting skills can often break the deadlock when the game is in a stalemate and open up a road to victory for the team; his excellent ball control and passing abilities can also fully stimulate the potential of teammates and make the team's offense more smooth and efficient. Now, Curry is absent due to injury, the Warriors' offensive system has suffered a huge impact.

According to statistics from the US media data account PolyMarket, the probability of Curry returning in the series against the Timberwolves has dropped sharply to 42%. This news has aroused widespread attention and deep concern among Warriors fans, and has also received high attention from the entire basketball industry. Previously, famous reporter Shams reported that Curry could come back as early as G6 with the Timberwolves. It is worth noting that this is the first time Curry has suffered a muscle strain in his 16-year NBA career, so the team is extremely cautious about the injury.

In the two games Curry missed, the Warriors' situation became increasingly difficult. Currently, the Warriors are behind the Timberwolves 1-2 in the big score, and the situation is not optimistic. In the absence of Curry, the team's offensive efficiency has dropped significantly, and the firepower outside the three-point line is far less than before. Although Butler, Kumingga and other players went all out in the game, but Butler scored 33 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists in G3, and Kumingga also contributed excellent data of 30 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks, their efforts alone still struggled to make up for the huge impact of Curry's absence.

Details of Curry's injury and impact

(I) Review of injury situations

Let's turn back to the Western Conference semi-finals G1 of the Warriors and the Timberwolves on May 7. With 8 minutes and 19 seconds left in the second quarter, Curry suddenly covered his left leg after completing a physically unconfrontational throw, his expression was in a painful state. Then he limped towards the locker room passage and left the arena under the nervous gaze of the whole team. At this moment, the entire court fell into silence, and everyone was worried about Curry's injury.

24 hours later, the Warriors officially released a MRI report, and the results showed Curry had a first-degree strain on his left hamstring. The news gave fans a little relief. After all, the recovery time for a first-degree strain may be relatively short compared to more serious injuries. However, this is the first time Curry has suffered a muscle strain in his 16-year career. For veterans, the first strain requires extra caution, and there is a lot of room for elasticity in the comeback schedule. According to medical expert Michael Chen in a telephone interview, there were signs of Curry's injury this time. He averaged 34.6 minutes per game this season, second only to LeBron among players over the age of 35. 8 consecutive 35+ minutes of high-intensity consumption in April ended up overwhelming muscles.

(II) The impact on the Warriors

Curry's absence has brought huge dilemma to the Warriors' offensive end. In the offensive system, Curry is like a precision-operating engine, driving the offensive rhythm of the entire team. His three-pointer deterrent power forced his opponent to double-team defense against him, which created a large number of open shooting opportunities for his teammates and greatly opened up the offensive space from the outside. Once Curry is absent, the opponent's defensive pressure will be reduced sharply, and the outside defenders can focus more on defending other Warriors players, causing the Warriors' outside offensive space to be severely compressed.

In the G2 game where Curry was absent, the Warriors were in trouble from the start of the game and lagged behind by a huge 0-13 mark at the beginning. Throughout the game, the Warriors' offensive efficiency was extremely low, with only 9 of 32 three-pointers, and the team's offensive system seemed to have lost its backbone and became disorganized. There is neither a stable rhythm of offensive organizers on the court, nor a lack of players taking the initiative to carry the offensive banner. What's even more difficult is that except for Jonathan Kumingga who can inject vitality into the team with his excellent athleticism and speed, other players have difficulty providing effective support in this regard.

Let's compare Curry's performance when he was on the court. In the playoffs this season, Curry used mobile phones to account for the largest proportion of the team, reaching the highest of 26.5% of the 9 main players, and his real shooting percentage reached 63.6%, which is the team's offensive core. When Curry was on the court, the Warriors' offensive efficiency soared to 115.7 points/100 rounds, with effective shooting percentage increasing to 54.4% and turnover rate dropping to 12.8%. When Curry was not on the court, the Warriors had the lowest offensive efficiency, with only 92.6 points/100 rounds, with only 46.5% effective shooting rate and a turnover rate of up to 17.8%. The comparison of these data clearly shows the importance of Curry's offense against the Warriors.

Basics and Analysis of US media predictions

(I) Data Statistics and Analysis

US media PolyMarket's prediction of Curry's return probability is not a basisless conjecture, but based on a series of professional data statistics and in-depth analysis. The young player has excellent physical fitness and athleticism, and Cole taps his potential and allows him to take on more responsibilities on the offensive end. In the G3 game, Kumingga came on as a substitute for 36 minutes, made 11 of 18 shots, 3 of 4 shots, 5 of 6 free throws, efficiently scoring 30 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks, showing strong offensive firepower and potential. His outstanding performance also strengthened Cole's trust in him. In subsequent games, Kumingga is expected to continue to gain a lot of playing time and become an important scoring point for the Warriors.

The strengthening of the offense and defense of the inside line is also one of the key points of Cole's tactical adjustment. With Curry absent, the team's outside offense was greatly affected, so Kerr paid more attention to the offense and defense of the inside. He stressed that players should increase the number of offenses in the interior, take advantage of the physical advantages of players such as Rooney, Green and others to score strongly at the basket. At the same time, in the interior defense, the Warriors have also strengthened their protection of rebounding and limited their opponents' second offensive opportunities. In the G3 game, although the Warriors' inside scoring did not have a significant advantage, they were comparable to the Timberwolves in the competition for rebounds, which limited the Timberwolves' offense to a certain extent. In addition, Kerr also optimized the team's defensive system, emphasizing the integrity of defense and rotation speed. He asked players to be more focused when defending, actively assist in defense, and not give their opponents the opportunity to score easily. In the G3 game, despite the Warriors losing the game, their performance on the defensive end was remarkable, successfully limiting the Timberwolves' offense many times.

(II) Subsequent game predictions

Judging from the current situation, the Warriors' situation is not optimistic. They are 1-2 behind the Timberwolves in big scores, and Curry's comeback time is still uncertain. The Timberwolves have shown strong strength this season. Their defensive efficiency ranks among the top in the league. They have strong centers like Gobert in the interior, and scorers such as Edwards and Randle in the outside. The offensive firepower should not be underestimated. In the next game, if Curry cannot come back in time, it will be very difficult for the Warriors to reverse the situation. Although Butler and Kumingga performed well in the game, it is difficult to compete with the Timberwolves' overall strength with their strength alone. The Timberwolves' double-star combination Edwards and Randall are in good shape. They can effectively connect the team's offense in the game, which puts a lot of pressure on the Warriors' defense. Moreover, the Timberwolves' role players can also stand up at critical moments and contribute to the team's scoring and defense.

However, if Curry can come back in subsequent games, things will change a lot. Curry's return can not only enhance the Warriors' offensive firepower, but also revitalize the entire team's offensive system. His three-point deterrent power will attract the opponent's defensive attention and create more offensive opportunities for his teammates. Under the leadership of Curry, players such as Butler and Kumingga can also better play their advantages. After Curry returns, the Warriors' outside offensive space will be opened again, and the team's offensive efficiency is expected to be greatly improved. Curry can also hit key balls at critical moments to stabilize the team's morale and enhance the team's morale.

Overall, Curry's comeback will have a decisive impact on the direction of the series. If Curry can come back in time in G6 or G7, the Warriors still have a chance to reverse the series and advance to the next round. But if Curry ultimately cannot make a comeback in the series, it will be extremely difficult for the Warriors to defeat the Timberwolves, and they are likely to be eliminated in this series. In any case, the next game is crucial for the Warriors. They need to go all out in the absence of Curry, strive to win the game and buy more time and opportunities for Curry's comeback. The fans can only silently look forward to Curry's recovery as soon as possible, return to the arena, and lead the Warriors to continue moving forward in the playoffs.

Summary and interaction

Curry's injury has filled the Warriors' playoff journey with uncertainty. The US media predicts that his chance of returning to the Warriors and fans will drop to 42%, and this news has undoubtedly put great pressure on the Warriors and fans. But no matter what, the Warriors need to continue working hard and find opportunities to win while Curry is absent. As fans, we can only silently look forward to Curry's recovery as soon as possible, return to the arena, and bring us wonderful games again.