Buddy

Hield

Unsurprisingly, Curry is officially out for Game 5 due to the hamstring injury he suffered during Game 1. Game 6, which will be played on May 18, was a far more realistic possibility for the Warriors’ superstar guard. Buddy Hield will likely remain in the starting lineup, with Jonathan Kuminga taking on a more prominent role off the bench. Those two and Brandin Podziemski will need to be at their best if the Warriors are to extend this series, which they trail three games to one.

Hield moved into the Warriors’ starting lineup in the first round and the team became somewhat reliant on his scoring. With Stephen Curry (hamstring) out in Game 2, Hield started and played 29 minutes. The 32-year-old shooting guard led the Warriors in field goal attempts, though no one in a Golden State uniform was able to reach 20 points. The Warriors weren’t able to overcome a double-digit first half deficit. Despite the four made three-pointers, they’re going to need more from Hield as the series shifts to Golden State, especially if Curry remains out.

Curry suffered a Grade 1 strain of his left hamstring during Tuesday’s Warriors’ series-opening win over the Timberwolves. While ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday that the guard is expected to miss at least one week, Curry refused to give a target date when asked about his injury on Thursday. “No,” Curry said, according to The Athletic. “This is new, and from all that I’m learning about how quickly you can get back, there has to be a healing process. It’s just the way the body works. You can’t accelerate more than the body is telling you. It’ll be one of those after a week, really re-evaluate it every day to understand when it’s safe just to even think about playing.” This is the first hamstring injury of Curry’s career, so he’s in uncharted territory. Jimmy Butler, Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield will have added importance within the Warriors’ offense, and the latter has shot 14-of-19 from three in his last two games.

Shams notes that Curry has already been ruled out for Game 2 on Thursday, but the week timeline means he’ll miss Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on Monday with a chance to return for Game 5 on Wednesday. This is the first muscle strain of Curry’s career, so how quickly he returns will depend on how he responds to rehab. Fortunately for Golden State, the team came away with a win on the road in Game 1, and two of the next three games will be at home, giving the Warriors a chance to stay alive while their superstar PG is out. Expect Buddy Hield to step into a much larger role on offense while Curry is sidelined. Hield has totaled 57 points across his last two games while stroking a blistering 14-of-18 shots from beyond the arc.

Hield continues to show up in these playoffs. The star of Game 7 in the first round, Hield was once again counted on for increased scoring with Stephen Curry out for the entire second half with a hamstring injury. Hield’s added importance in these playoffs figures to continue, especially if Curry is unable to make it back for Game 2.

Before Sunday’s Game 7, few likely expected Hield to be the Warriors’ leading scorer. After scoring 32 points in Games 3 and 4, he totaled four points on 2-of-10 shooting in the two losses that forced a decisive seventh game. To say Hield redeemed himself would be an understatement; he established a playoff career-high with nine three-pointers and shot 80 percent from the field. While the Warriors won’t expect performances of this caliber in the second round, they’ll need a consistent Hield to knock off the Timberwolves. Game 1 is on Tuesday.

Added to the Warriors’ injury report late Sunday morning, Payton will miss the series decider in Houston. This should result in Brandin Podziemski returning to the starting lineup after playing 29 minutes off the bench in Game 6. Also, Moses Moody could return to the lineup to strengthen the Warriors’ perimeter defense, with Buddy Hield coming off the bench.

Jimmy Butler’s return from a one-game absence also allowed Hield to enter the starting lineup after scoring 17 points in Game 3. He really struggled in Games 1 and 2, but he was able to build on his performance from Saturday in Monday’s win. Hield is a streaky shooter, but he has been on recently and hit eight triples across Golden State’s two home games. He’ll look to carry this shooting with him to Houston for Game 5 on Wednesday.

With Butler back, Jonathan Kuminga will be pushed out of the starting lineup and could certainly end up being out of the rotation entirely. Hield will replace Quinten Post in the starting unit after playing well in Game 3.

Butler will return after missing Game 3, which is what we were expecting. Jonathan Kuminga started in place of Butler on Saturday, but he will likely be pushed to the bench and out of the rotation. Buddy Hield and Gary Payton II will also lose minutes with Butler back.