How long will Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry be out and how will the team cope?

The Golden State Warriors and their fans are likely breathing a little easier today after reports indicated that the team’s biggest star did not suffer what was thought to be a serious injury. With that said, the focus will now shift to a timeline for recovery and what the team will do to cope while he’s absent.

Steph Curry’s injury is not as bad as first thought

According to reports, there is reason for optimism in the Bay Area after initial analysis suggests that Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry has avoided a serious ankle injury. There were serious concerns about the Warriors’ talisman after an awkward landing during the team’s loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. While it is understood that Curry will miss some time - possibly multiple games - it does not appear as though his season has been derailed. As per head Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, the 35-year-old had “his foot in a bucket of ice” in the locker room following Thursday’s game. In terms of how it happened, Curry appeared to roll his right ankle as he drove to the hoop during the latter stages of the game’s fourth quarter. In the moments after, he could be seen limping on the court as he understandably tried to walk off the injury, but in the end, he was unable to continue and went directly to the locker room with four minutes left in the game.

So, where do the Warriors go from here?

Truthfully, Curry’s injury was a moment that probably decided the outcome of the game as the effect of his absence was plain to see. There was rookie Brandin Podziemski who missed what would have been a game-tying layup from point-blank range with seven seconds on the block. Then, there was Curry’s replacement Lester Quinones who failed with a game-winning attempt from half court as the buzzer went. Of course, this is not to say that the Warriors’ loss was down to either player, but it can’t be denied that Curry was missed.

Yet, 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 have a record of 14-5 which is good enough for the fourth-best net rating in the NBA, as well as the fifth-best defense. Understandably, with Curry on an average of 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 lost all three. For perspective, during the aforementioned 19-game streak, the Warriors have scored 118 points per 100 possessions as opposed to 107 points when Curry has been off the court.

Ultimately, there has been no official word given on how long Curry will be out, but given his history of ankle problems, it would be a mistake for the franchise not to air on the side of caution. Interestingly, Kerr recently disclosed that he believed Curry was fatigued following a less-than-prolific shooting period. With that in mind, it could be that we see him taken out of rotation simply as a precaution, regardless of what the final diagnosis on his injury is. Whatever the case, we can assume that within the next few days we will have the results of any imaging done on the ankle. Either way, Warriors fans can at least take comfort in the idea that the team appears to be prepared for the reality of doing battle without its key figure. “We’ve been in this position before where he has had time off, and we’ve just got to do it collectively,” Klay Thompson said of Curry following Thursday’s loss. “I know he’ll be ready to go when he does come back, whenever that is. We just want to wish him a speedy recovery, and to take his time.”