Golden State faces a rare playoff test: Life without Steph Curry

Improbably, the Golden State Warriors beat a younger, higher-seeded NBA playoff opponent without their best player.

Improbably, the Golden State Warriors beat a younger, higher-seeded NBA playoff opponent without their best player. 

Their challenge? Do it again and again — for at least a week.

After Warriors superstar Stephen Curry suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain in Tuesday’s Game 1 victory at Minnesota, he will be re-evaluated in one week, the team said.

Based on the schedule of the conference semifinals, that timeline will most likely leave the Warriors without Curry for the next three games, if not longer. Should the series reach a Game 5 on May 14, there will be three days off before Game 6, a potential break for Curry’s recovery.

Curry, 37, the most prolific 3-point shooter in NBA history and the cornerstone on which the Warriors' four-championship run was built, leaves no ordinary void. And for his team, it poses no ordinary challenge, as Golden State has rarely before been forced to play without him in the postseason.