It is not just coincidence that the Warriors have been able to survive their minutes without Curry in the Butler era.

Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield delivered in their own ways the both-ends-of-the-floor production necessary for Golden State to fend off Minnesota for a Game 1 victory after star Stephen Curry went down with a strained left hamstring early in the second quarter.

The Warriors announced an MRI revealed it was a Grade 1 hamstring strain and that the injury would be reevaluated in a week. That timeline meant he would miss Games 2, 3 and 4 with Game 5—scheduled one week from the announcement—up in the air.