MINNEAPOLIS >> The Golden State Warriors are planning to play without Stephen Curry for at least the next three games of their second-round series against Minnesota, after an MRI exam on Wednesday confirmed a mild strain of the star guard’s left hamstring.

The Warriors said Curry would be sidelined at least a week after the injury on Tuesday night forced him out early in the second quarter of Game 1, which they went on to win 99-88. He had 13 points in 13 minutes to help Golden State build a comfortable lead and take home-court advantage away from the Timberwolves.

“Every year the playoffs are about adapting, whether it’s a game plan or an injury or a lineup, so we just have to adapt,” coach Steve Kerr said. “We’ve done this before, and we’re confident we can do this again.”

Game 2 is in Minneapolis on Thursday, before the series moves west to San Francisco for Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on Monday. The earliest return for Curry appears to be Game 5 on May 14, which is conveniently followed by three straight off days before Game 6 on May 18.

Curry has never had a significant hamstring injury in his career, creating yet more mystery around the length of this absence and whether the Warriors can tread water long enough without the all-time leading 3-point shooter in NBA history to get him back near the end of the series. They’d be unwise to bank on that, though.

“We think we have the best defense in the league, and that’s been proven over the last couple of months,” Kerr said.

Curry missed multiple games because of injuries during the 2016 and 2018 playoffs, absences the Warriors adeptly endured on their way to the NBA Finals in both scenarios. They lost to Cleveland in seven games for the 2016 championship, and they swept the Cavaliers in 2018 for a third title in four years. Without Curry during those two postseason runs, they went 9-3.

This Golden State roster hardly stacks up to those predecessors, however, when Curry and Draymond Green were much younger and other standouts like Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala were integral to their success. By 2018, they had Kevin Durant, too.

With the superhero of the Golden State Warriors out for the rest of the game, the sidekicks stepped up.

Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield have become quite the sideshow, on and off the court.

“I’m Batman. I saved the day,” Hield said. “He’s still Robin.”

Butler was willing to concede that interim role to Hield with Curry out, but not without reminding Hield the Warriors had to burn a timeout in the first minute of the game because the shorts he was wearing didn’t match the team uniform.

“That’s not real Robin and/or Batman like,” Butler said, turning to Hield as they shared a table for their joint postgame interview.

Butler pitched in 20 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and sound defense. Hield hit five 3-pointers among his 24 points to go with eight rebounds and no turnovers for a team-leading plus-22 rating. Both of them will have to keep that up now that the Warriors have ruled Curry out for at least the next three games.

Two of the newest players to the team have also developed a unique odd-couple bond, with Butler constantly needling the softer-spoken Hield with his wry sense of humor. They clearly get on each other’s nerves at times, to the point of shouting at each other in one of the huddles during a timeout on Tuesday.

Since Butler arrived in a trade with Miami, the Warriors are 29-11. Hield was acquired from Philadelphia last summer.

“They have an incredible relationship. Y’all don’t get to see everything, but there’s times where they really go at it. That’s just the nature of the game we play,” teammate Draymond Green said. “They have a great dynamic, both of them playing great basketball for us.”

The Warriors, who were the last team to advance to the second round after finally beating second-seeded Houston in that seven-game series on Sunday, took a much-needed day off on Wednesday. They’ll need to bring their intensity back for Game 2 on Thursday, when the Wolves are bound to be fired up from the way they flailed through Game 1.

“Everybody is live. Everybody who comes into the game is looking to make plays,” Timberwolves guard Mike Conley said. “So you have to be almost even more so locked in on the game and who you’re matched up with and the tendencies. Because they’re not looking for just Curry. Obviously, Buddy is going to be more aggressive, Jimmy is going to be more aggressive, but they’ve got guys who can put the ball in the hole, and they may try to do that collectively as a group.”

Coach Chris Finch sounded irritated on Wednesday for a number of reasons, including what he described as football-like contact by the Warriors against Rudy Gobert that went uncalled and prevented the big man from grabbing several rebounds. The Wolves sent in multiple video clips to the league to plead their case.

“They look like pulling guards and linemen out there just taking shots at Rudy,” Finch said.

Warriors center Kevon Looney was one of those guys jockeying for position in the paint with the 7-foot-1 Gobert.

“Last series, I feel like was way worse than anything I did last game,” Looney said, recalling the physical tone of the first round against the Rockets as he smiled. “It’s the playoffs. I’m going to grab and push until they call it.”

Not to be outdone by Finch’s gamesmanship, Warriors coach Steve Kerr offered his own measured take on the officiating.

“I think they could’ve called a foul six, seven straight possessions with them guarding Steph, so I’ve got my complaints, too,” Kerr said. “Trust me, we all do, and this is how it works in the playoffs.”

The Timberwolves had practice after a sobering film session for admonishment and dissection of the many deficiencies that were on display throughout the previous night. Finch was particularly pointed in his commentary, starting with star Anthony Edwards for his decision-making with the ball and adrift first-half performance.

“We didn’t look at all like ourselves. The game plan discipline was really poor,” Finch said.