Steph Curry expressed his hopes for the Carolina Panthers as the NFL team prepares to make a bid for the NFC South title in next Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.During a media session on Wednesday, Curry took notice of a reporter’s Buccaneers hat and expressed his wish to see the Panthers beat them on Friday. His sentiment is one shared by fans throughout Carolina as the team stands on the brink of history.“I’m hoping that y’all don’t have a good night tonight so that we can claim the NFC South lead, we got two good games coming up,” Curry said. “Sorry, I’m in football mode.”The Panthers (7-6) are in first place in the NFC South and have an opportunity to pull clear of Tampa Bay (7-7) in second place. Before facing the Buccaneers, Carolina will take on the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 15.The Panthers have not been to the NFL playoffs since 2017, one of the longest dry spells in the league. Moreover, the team has also not won an NFC South title in a decade, with its last win coming in 2015.Steph Curry set to return from five-game absence against Minnesota TimberwolvesAccording to reports, Steph Curry is set to return from a five-game injury absence against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. Curry injured his left quad against the Houston Rockets on Nov. 26.If getting injured wasn't enough, this also marked one of Steph's worst games of the season, as he finished with 14 points and seven turnovers, shooting 4-for-13. But after close to two weeks on the sidelines, Curry is back in the lineup as the Warriors look to get back to winning ways.Golden State (13-12) is holding second place in the Western Conference, two and a half games behind the Timberwolves (15-9) in sixth. The Dubs are on a two-game winning streak. Minnesota, meanwhile, comes into Friday's game after a difficult loss against the Phoenix Suns on Monday.Curry is averaging 27.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game this season and will look to bounce back on Friday.