The Golden State Warriors and their fans are probably breathing a little easier today after reports indicated that the team’s biggest star did not suffer what was believed to be a serious injury. That said, the focus now will be on the recovery timetable and what the team will do to cope during his absence.
Steph Curry’s injury isn’t as bad as first thought
According to reports, there is reason for optimism in the Bay Area after initial analysis suggests the Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry avoided a serious ankle injury. There were serious concerns about the Warriors’ talisman after a rough landing in the team’s loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. While it is understood that Curry will miss some time – perhaps several games – it does not appear that his season has been derailed. According to the Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, The 35-year-old had his “foot in a bucket of ice” in the locker room after Thursday’s match. As for how it happened, Curry appeared to roll his right ankle as he headed toward the hoop during the closing stages of the game’s fourth quarter. In the moments that followed, he could be seen limping around the pitch as he naturally tried to recover from his injury, but in the end he was unable to continue and went straight to the locker room with four minutes from the end of the match.
So where do the Warriors go from here?
Truth be told, Curry’s injury was probably a moment that decided the outcome of the game, as the effect of his absence was evident. There was a recruit Brandin Podziemski who missed what would have been a game-tying layup from point-blank range with seven seconds left. Then there was the Curry replacement Lester Quinones who failed with a game-winning attempt from midcourt as the buzzer sounded. Of course, that’s not to say the Warriors’ loss was down to either player, but there’s no denying that Curry was missed.
Still, it’s worth noting that even though the Warriors lost on Thursday, they are currently one of the best teams in the league. Indeed, in their last 19 games, the Dubs are 14-5, which is good enough for the fourth-best net rating in the NBA, as well as the fifth-best defense. Naturally, with Curry averaging 26 points, five assists and five rebounds, the loss of his contribution is going to hurt. To date, the two-time league MVP has only missed three games this season and the Warriors have lost all three. For perspective, during the aforementioned 19-game stretch, the Warriors scored 118 points per 100 possessions, compared to 107 points when Curry was off the court.
Ultimately, no official word has been given on how long Curry will be out, but given his history of ankle issues, it would be a mistake for the franchise to not err on the side of caution. Interestingly, Kerr recently revealed that he thought Curry was tired after a less-than-prolific shooting period. With that in mind, we may see him removed from the rotation simply as a precaution, regardless of the final diagnosis of his injury. Regardless, we can assume that in the next few days we will have the results of any imaging performed on the ankle. Regardless, Warriors fans can at least take comfort in the idea that the team appears prepared for the reality of struggling without its key figure. “We’ve been in this situation before where he had time off, and we just have to do it collectively. Klay Thompson » Curry said after Thursday’s loss. “I know he’ll be ready to go when he comes back, whenever that is. We just want to wish him a speedy recovery and take his time.
