Curry can only watch again as Warriors fade out of playoffs without injured star

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Golden State Warriors revealed a glimmer of hope before their elimination game in Minnesota with the announcement that Stephen Curry had been cleared for shooting drills and light on-court workouts, raising the possibility his strained left hamstring could heal in time for him to play in the series.

The Timberwolves quickly put an end to that, closing out the Western Conference semifinal series with a 121-110 victory Wednesday night.

All Curry could do was watch, the four-time NBA champion and league's career leading 3-point shooter relegated to wincing from the bench while the Wolves shredded an exhausted Warriors defense with 63% shooting.

The Warriors said earlier in the day that Curry was “making good progress” in his recovery from the injury suffered in the opener of the second-round series. With a three-day break before the scheduled Game 6, Curry would've have had extra time to heal, but his fourth consecutive absence was simply too much to overcome for this Warriors team that was already thin on consistent scoring.

“Injuries are part of the playoffs. I learned a long time ago the playoffs are really about health and then just guys stepping up and making some big shots, big plays in key games,” said coach Steve Kerr, who embraced veterans Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green on the court after the game. “That’s what decides every series. We’ve been on both ends of that. It’s just part of it, so there’s no sense in dwelling on it.”

The Warriors lost four straight games in the same postseason for the first time since 1972.

“We definitely missed Steph. That obviously goes without saying. But I’m not going to come up here and harp on Steph not being here, make it like their win is less than what it is," Green said. “They’re moving on. Congratulations to those guys. They beat us regardless.”

Curry’s first career hamstring strain, one of several injuries that have waylaid star players during these NBA playoffs, made it predictably harder for the Warriors to space their offense and generate scoring. They averaged 17 turnovers per game in the series and shot only 34% from 3-point range.

“A tremendous loss for Golden State, no doubt, a tremendous loss for the series. I’m sure it would’ve been quite different if Steph would’ve been able to play,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said. 'But our guys took care of business, and that’s not something that we’ve always done. I thought we had a bunch of business-like approaches in this series and took advantage of something that happened and made the best of it. We don’t need to apologize for it. We just went out and did it."

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, middle, sits before Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry squints at the scoreboard in 2nd quarter against Minnesota Timberwolves in NBA Western Conference Semifinals' Game 5 at Target Center in Minneapolis on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, right, and Buddy Hield react to a missed shot in the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Minneapolis. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) looks on near the bench during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30), left, gestures after making a 3-point shot as Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, right, reacts during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, center, reacts from the bench during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Monday, May 12, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, center right, gestures to teammate Draymond Green that he is subbing in the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves in San Francisco, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Lamar Jackson thought it was over. That the Baltimore Ravens' unwieldy season would end up in a familiar spot: the playoffs.

Then, rookie kicker Tyler Loop's potential game-winning field goal from 44 yards out drifted a little right. And then a little further right. And then a little further right still.

By the time it fluttered well wide of the goalposts, the playoffs were gone. So was Jackson's certainty after a 26-24 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday night sent the Ravens into what could be a turbulent offseason.

“I'm definitely stunned, man,” Jackson said. “I thought we had it in the bag. ... I don't know what else we can do.”

Jackson, who never really seemed fully healthy during his eighth season as he battled one thing after another, did his part. The two-time NFL MVP passed for 238 yards and three touchdowns, including two long connections with Zay Flowers in the fourth quarter that put the Ravens (8-9) in front.

It just wasn't enough. Baltimore's defense, which played most of the second half without star safety Kyle Hamilton after Hamilton entered the concussion protocol, wilted against 42-year-old Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers passed for a season-high 294 yards, including a 26-yard flip to a wide-open Calvin Austin with 55 seconds to go after a defender slipped, symbolic of a season in which Baltimore's defense only occasionally found its form.

Still, the Ravens had a chance when Jackson found Isaiah Likely for a 28-yard gain on fourth down from midfield. A couple of snaps later, the 24-year-old Loop walked on to try to lift Baltimore to its third straight division title.

Instead, the rookie said he “mishit” it. Whatever it was, it never threatened to sneak between the goalposts.

“It’s disappointing,” Loop said.

Loop was talking about the game. He might as well have been talking about his team's season.

The Ravens began 1-5 as Jackson dealt with injuries and the defense struggled to get stops. Baltimore found a way to briefly tie the Steelers for first in late November, only to then split its next four games, including a home loss to Pittsburgh.

Still, when Jackson and the Ravens walked onto the Acrisure Stadium turf on Sunday night in the 272nd and final game of the NFL regular season, Baltimore was confident. The Ravens drilled Pittsburgh in the opening round of the playoffs a year ago behind the ever-churning legs of running back Derrick Henry.

When Henry ripped off a gain of 40-plus yards on the game's first offensive snap, it looked like it was going to be more of the same. While Henry did rush for 126 yards and joined Hall of Famer Barry Sanders as the only running backs in NFL history to have five 1,500-yard seasons, he was less effective in the second half.

Even that first run was telling of what night it was going to be, as an illegal block by wide receiver Zay Flowers cost Baltimore some field position. The Ravens ended up scoring on the drive anyway, thanks to a 38-yard fourth-down flip from Jackson to a wide-open Devontez Walker, but it started a pattern that was hard to shake as several steps forward were met with one step back on a night the Ravens finished with nine penalties for 78 yards.

“We were having a lot of penalties, which kept stopping drives," Jackson said. “But I'm proud of my guys because we kept overcoming. We kept overcoming adversity and situations like this. Divisional games (can) be like that sometimes.”

Particularly when the Steelers are on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Pittsburgh has won 10 of the last 13 meetings. And while a handful of them have been in late-season matchups with the Ravens already assured of reaching the playoffs, the reality is the Steelers have been able to regularly do something that most others have not: found a way to beat Jackson.

“It comes down to situations like this,” Jackson said. “Two-point conversion one year. Field goal another year. And again this year. Just got to find a way to get that win here.”

And figure out who is going to be around to help get it.

Head coach John Harbaugh's 18th season in Baltimore ended with the Ravens missing the playoffs for just the second time in eight years. Jackson turns 29 this week and is still one of the most electric players in the league.

Yet Harbaugh and Jackson have yet to find a way to have that breakthrough season that Harbaugh enjoyed with Joe Flacco in 2013 when the Ravens won the Super Bowl.

There was hope when the season began that the roadblocks that have long been in the franchise's way — Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes chief among them — would be gone.

While the Ravens did get their way in a sense — the Chiefs will watch the playoffs from afar for the first time in a decade after a nightmarish season of their own — it never all came together.

Jackson declined to endorse Harbaugh returning for a 19th season, saying the loss was still too fresh to zoom out on what it might mean for the franchise going forward.

Harbaugh, for his part, certainly seems up for running it back in the fall.

“I love these guys,” he said afterward. “I love these guys.”

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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, right, hands the ball off to running back Derrick Henry (22) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh talks with an offical during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, left, greets Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) after an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jabrill Peppers (40) reacts after Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) missed a field goal attempt in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)