The defending champion Golden State Warriors are involved after capturing guard Steph Curry sustained a leg damage in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks. He exited the sport within the third quarter.
Golden State Warriors capturing guard Steph Curry stumbles after a collision within the third quarter in opposition to the Dallas Mavs on the Chase Middle in San Francisco. (Picture: Getty)
Throughout a defensive possession, Curry collided with backup level guard McKinley Wright IV from the Mavs. The coaching workers attended to Curry on the bench for a number of minutes earlier than he limped off the court docket on the Chase Middle.
With out Curry for the rest of the second half, the Warriors held off the Mavs for a 119-113 victory. Curry scored 21 factors and added seven assists and 6 rebounds in 26 minutes of motion.
Preliminary X-rays have been unfavorable. Curry underwent on MRI on Sunday, and he was recognized with partially torn superior tibiofibular ligaments in his left leg.
Curry leads the Warriors in scoring this season. He averages 29.4 factors, 6.4 assists, and 6.3 rebounds per recreation, whereas capturing 49.5% from the ground, and 42.7% from 3-point vary.
Steph went again to the locker room after after showing to injure his left leg on this play pic.twitter.com/SKx4XmXMIZ
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 5, 2023
One other Sport, One other Knee Damage for Curry
It was a tough week for the Warriors. They accomplished a three-game highway journey with losses in back-to-back video games. The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Warriors by 5 factors in time beyond regulation on Wednesday, which was arguably one in all their worst performances of the season.
The Denver Nuggets are the perfect workforce within the Western Convention, and so they simply defeated the road-weary Warriors by 17 factors on Thursday. Curry banged his left knee in opposition to the Nuggets late within the fourth quarter. However he completed the sport with 28 factors within the loss.
The Warriors listed Curry on the damage report with a left knee contusion. However he nonetheless began in opposition to the Mavs on Saturday. He wore a knee pad with further padding in opposition to the Mavs.
The Warriors have no idea if Curry’s present damage is expounded to his knee damage within the earlier recreation.
Any time a man will get an MRI, there’s a priority stage,” mentioned Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. “We’ll simply have to attend and see. So, fingers crossed he’s OK.”
Preliminary studies instructed that Curry sustained an MCL sprain, nevertheless an MRI revealed a contusion and injury to the superior tibiofibular ligaments and interosseous membrane.
Curry Expects to Miss All-Star Sport
The 2023 NBA All-Star Sport suggestions off in two weeks on Feb. 19 in Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah. Curry earned one other journey to the NBA All-Star Sport when he was voted in as a starter for the Western Convention. Curry is a nine-time All-Star, so it’s not an enormous deal if he skips the upcoming All-Star Sport.
The Warriors are extra involved about Curry’s long run well being contemplating what number of video games he missed over the previous couple of seasons. They need to make sure that he’s wholesome earlier than the playoffs start so Curry can assist the Warriors defend their championship.
Curry missed 11 video games earlier within the season with a left shoulder subluxation, however obtained fortunate as a result of it was his non-shooting shoulder. The Warriors went 6-5 with out Curry throughout that stretch in late December and early January.
Backup guard Donte DiVincenzo (8.4 factors, 3.3 assists) began 12 video games this season for the Warriors and noticed an uptick in enjoying time when Curry damage his shoulder. Capturing guard Jordan Poole averages 20.5 factors per recreation off the bench because the Warriors sixth man. However he began 30 video games this season due to accidents to Curry and cargo administration for swingman Klay Thompson.
Warriors Caught within the Western Convention Cluster
With a 27-26 document, the Warriors are in seventh place within the Western Convention standings. If the season ended immediately, the Warriors would take part within the Western Convention Play-In Event that includes groups between seventh place and tenth place to find out the #7 and #8 playoff seeds.
The Warriors path the first-place Nuggets (37-16) by 10 video games, however they’re caught in the midst of one of many tightest playoff races in current reminiscence. The Western Convention has 10 groups which are separated by solely 4 video games. This cluster is bookended by the Los Angeles Clippers (30-26) in fourth place and the L.A. Lakers (25-29) in thirteenth place.
To place this cluster in perspective, the Nuggets maintain a 4.5-game lead over the Memphis Grizzlies (32-20) in second place. The Warriors are in the midst of this cluster. However a shedding streak with out Curry may jeopardize a playoff spot.
FiveThirtyEight initiatives the Warriors will end with a 43-39 document. They’ve an 8% probability to advance to the NBA Finals, however solely a 4% probability to win the championship and efficiently defend their title.
The Warriors are +500 odds to win the Western Convention and return to the NBA Finals. They’re +1000 odds to win the NBA championship in consecutive seasons.
