Amid their first loss of the season, the Warriors saw star guard Stephen Curry exit with an ankle injury that will sideline him for the next few games. Curry exited Sunday’s game with 7:55 remaining after turning his ankle, and the Warriors ended up losing to the LA Clippers 112-104.
As of now, it’s being reported that there is no structural damage and that Curry will be re-evaluated by the end of the week. A moderate sprain could keep him out for up to two weeks, which is a vital amount of time as the new-look Warriors are attempting to build familiarity with one another on the floor.
With Klay Thompson leaving for Dallas in the offseason, the Warriors had to take a different approach to the new season. The hierarchy shifted with Golden State’s No. 2 option elsewhere. The team reportedly made attempts at acquiring Paul George and Lauri Markkanen but to no avail. A third star was not arriving in San Francisco, thus leading the Warriors to build around depth.
In their first two games — blowout victories over Portland and Utah — Warriors head coach Steve Kerr emptied the bench. All 14 active players received minutes in both contests. Against the Clippers on Sunday, the only player on the active roster to not see the floor was third-year wing Gui Santos. The Warriors have 12 players averaging at least 12 MPG. With Curry out for the next few games, Golden State’s depth will be leaned upon heavily.
Nursing an ankle injury isn’t unfamiliar territory for the two-time league MVP. Curry was debilitated by ankle injuries early on in his career. It’s partly what led to the Warriors inking Curry for a mid-sized extension after his rookie deal. Of course, Curry overcame the early injury woes and his low salary number eventually enabled Golden State to build the best roster in the league. Injuries haven’t hampered him severely since the 2020 campaign. He played in 74 games last year — his most since 2017.
However, Curry is 36 years old now. He’s played over 37,000 minutes of NBA basketball (including playoffs). Without Curry, the Warriors could quickly lose pace in a competitive Western Conference. He’s already officially being listed as out for Golden State’s upcoming back-to-back against the Pelicans. After that, Golden State embarks on a five-game road trip that includes matchups against Boston, Oklahoma City, and Cleveland. If he’s forced to miss two weeks, Curry could come back to a team that is already a few games back from the top teams out West.
For basketball fans — and, not just Warrior fans — Curry missing any amount of time is bad for the sport. He’s one of the game’s all-time greats. The end of his career is in sight. After seeing his performances at the Olympics, it seemed like Curry was ready to put together another remarkable campaign. That’s put on hold for now, and hopefully, he’s able to return to the floor sooner rather than later.
