The Golden State Warriors are thoroughly missing Stephen Curry.
After they managed to take Game 1 from Minnesota following Curry's second quarter hamstring injury, they've lost three in a row.
Curry has already been ruled out for Game 5 of the conference semifinals, but his return isn't out of the question later in the series.
It's obvious, but the Warriors only get Curry back if they do one thing: Win Game 5 on the road.
The NBA's schedule makers give Curry a chance from there. Game 6 isn't until Sunday in the Bay Area, giving three days off in between contests, in part due to the Golden State Valkyries' WNBA opener.
Regardless of the reason, it's the only chance Curry gets to come back and rescue the Warriors.
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They'll have to do their own rescuing first. Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga and the rest will have to be at their best on Wednesday night.
If they are, the Warriors could then get a jolt from a Curry return and make a run at a series comeback.
But if those players don't deliver in Game 5, there won't be a Game 6 and there won't be a Curry return.
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Curry, 37, doesn't have a lot of these playoff runs yet. Golden State needs to do everything in its power to prolong this one long enough to get the all-time great back in the game.
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