"Psychological warfare against the Timberwolves" - NBA fans amped as Steph Curry returns to practice amid Game 2 injury doubts

Ahead of the Golden State Warriors' Game 2 showdown with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Steph Curry has returned to practice after being diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain.

Curry played 13 minutes in the Warriors' Game 1 showdown with the Timberwolves on Tuesday, scoring 13 points on 5-9 shooting before pulling his hamstring.

On Wednesday, Curry was reportedly diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain that is expected to sideline him for a week, meaning that he would miss Games 2, 3 and 4. Despite that, in what some fans believe to be some form of mental warfare, Curry took the floor at Target Center on Thursday for practice ahead of Game 2.

In a photo shared by The Athletic's Anthony Slater, Curry was smiling on the court despite the fact that on the 8:30 a.m. ET injury report shared on NBA.com, he's listed as out for the game.

The NBA community was quick to react to the situation:

"Psychological warfare against the Timberwolves," one fan wrote.

"Look at curry man so inspirational," another replied.

"Good sign if he’s alr shooting," another fan added.

Others wished the two-time MVP well:

"Heal up King," - One fan wrote.

Golden State looks to steal Game 2 on the road despite the absence of Steph Curry

Golden State's away victory in Game 1 has set the stage for what might be a nail-biting Game 2 back at Chase Center. Of course, with Steph Curry on the bench and the team ready to play Game 2 on the road tonight, they will certainly face a difficult task if they want to sweep the Timberwolves, trying to return to the Western Conference Finals.

Based on his Grade 1 hamstring strain diagnosis, Curry is expected to be sidelined for Games 2, 3 and 4. If a Game 5 is needed, Curry would have an additional 48 hours to prepare for his return between Game 4 on May 12 and Game 5 on May 14.

In the regular season, Curry and the Warriors had a winning 3-1 record against the Timberwolves; however, all four of those games took place before Golden State acquired Jimmy Butler, who the team will lean on in Curry's absence.

Despite a 1-0 series lead, with Curry on the sidelines for the next week, Golden State is sitting as a +180 underdog in the series betting odds, with Minnesota as a -215 favorite at the time of publication.