MINNEAPOLIS -- The Golden State Warriors will have to keep their season alive in Game 5 without Stephen Curry, who was officially ruled out Tuesday because of his Grade 1 strained left hamstring.
Golden State trail the Minnesota Timberwolves 3-1 in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals series and will try to fend off elimination Wednesday at the Target Center.
"Even if I wanted to be Superman, I couldn't," Curry told Andscape's Marc J. Spears late Monday night of trying to make a return for Game 5. Curry was responding to a comment by teammate Draymond Green that the Warriors and Curry are not going to try to "Superman this thing" if the star isn't fully ready to return.
Curry will be reevaluated Wednesday. He sustained the hamstring injury in the second quarter of the Warriors' Game 1 victory on May 6.
Without Curry, the Warriors lost Game 4, 117-110, to the Timberwolves on Monday. If the Warriors can extend their season, that would give Curry another three days of recovery before a potential Game 6 on Sunday at Chase Center.
"No, we're not going to Superman this thing," Green said when asked if he expected Curry to try to push to come back and if so, would Green be a part of that conversation. "If he's in a place where he can play, I'm sure he will. Him and Rick [Celebrini, Warriors VP of player health and performance] and everybody will figure that out. But we don't need [Curry to try to be] Superman.
"Gotta play the long game. If he can, we know he will. But there's no pressure. We've got to figure out how to win whether he plays or not."
Curry was the only Warrior listed on the injury report. Green said Jimmy Butler III played in Game 4 after not feeling well all day. Butler finished with 14 points and six rebounds, taking only nine shots in 33 minutes.
Green says Curry continues to do everything he can to return. Now he needs his team to try to keep the season alive.
"He's working his tail off every day," Green said. "He's in here eight, nine hours a day working, doing what he can to try to get back. His morale is great. Obviously, nobody's excited right now. But he's working to get back. It's all you can do at this point."