Warriors’ Postseason Record Without Stephen Curry: Shocking Stats Revealed!

On Wednesday, the Golden State Warriors received disappointing news that Stephen Curry had sustained a Grade 1 hamstring strain. This injury will sideline him for at least a week during their Western Conference semifinal clash with the Minnesota Timberwolves. On a positive note, historically, the Warriors have a 9-3 record in playoff games played without Curry.

However, it’s worth mentioning that those matches occurred quite some time ago, specifically during the postseasons of 2016 and 2018. During those years, the Warriors managed to win all four series without Curry for some games and advanced to the Finals each time.

Stephen Curry’s Playoff Injury Record

2016 NBA Playoffs: Stephen Curry missed six games
Warriors Record without Stephen Curry: 4-2

In 2016, the Warriors entered the playoffs after a record-breaking regular season, winning 73 games. Curry injured his ankle in the first round against the Houston Rockets, causing him to miss Games 2 and 3. He returned for Game 4 but was limited to six points and committed five turnovers in 18 minutes before injuring his knee. Despite Curry’s limited participation or absence in four of the games, the Warriors clinched the series in five games.

During the second round, Curry sat out the first three games, but Golden State managed a 2-1 series lead thanks to outstanding performances from Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. Upon his return in Game 4, Curry came off the bench to score 40 points, with 17 points in a single overtime period. After hitting one of his six three-pointers during overtime, the Blazers called a timeout, during which Curry famously declared his return.

Curry did not miss any more games during that postseason, but the Warriors ultimately lost the NBA Finals to the Cleveland Cavaliers after squandering a 3-1 lead.

2018 Playoffs: Stephen Curry missed six games
Warriors record without Stephen Curry: 5-1

The Warriors, defending NBA champions, entered the 2018 playoffs after securing a regular season with 58 wins, the third highest in the NBA behind the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. Curry sustained an MCL sprain in March, sidelining him for six weeks, including the first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors won that series 4-1 and also secured a victory in Game 1 against the New Orleans Pelicans with Nick Young starting in Curry’s place.

Curry returned to the lineup in Game 2 against the Pelicans, coming off the bench. The Warriors concluded that series in five games and needed seven games to defeat the Rockets. In the 2018 NBA Finals, they swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in a series that began with the infamous J.R. Smith game.

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