The Golden State Warriors are expected to be without franchise superstar Stephen Curry for potentially up to a month, according to the latest injury updates. But while the point guard is sidelined with an oblique strain, there is a positive hidden in the bad, as this Warriors team looks poised for more success without the star than they likely would have seen over the past few years.
Golden State is 8-4, and though the team lost on Wednesday night after Curry went down with the injury, the squad was riding an eight-game win streak. With newly-extended Brandin Podziemski, standout rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, and a solid supporting cast, even without the main engine of the team available for likely the next month, the Warriors might not be destined for failure compared to how things might have looked even a year ago when Curry went down.
Playing without Curry is bad, obviously. But in a year when the Warriors have exceeded all expectations through the first three weeks of the season, the team could very well stay afloat until the star returns healthy from his new injury.
Warriors Still Confident Without Franchise Star
Writing on Golden State’s outlook after Curry’s injury, Nick Friedell of The Athletic painted a positive picture of the Bay Area franchise.
The Warriors are now without Curry as well as Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody, and Kristaps Porzingis for an extended period, but with what the team has shown so far this season, keeping a good thing going will be a lot easier than it would have been over the past few years of middling records and Play-In losses.
“But as Curry’s teammates walked out of Toyota Center late Wednesday night following a 115-107 loss to the Houston Rockets, there was a sense this time may be different,” he wrote. “A year ago, the Warriors struggled to stay afloat when Curry missed most of the second half of the season with a knee injury. Now, with Curry sidelined for at least two weeks because of an oblique tear, there is a much stronger belief they are better equipped to handle Curry’s absence.”
Friedell talked with Warriors players like Draymond Green and Georges Niang about how the team can still play well without Curry.
“We’re more certain on who we are. What makes us a good team. And I think that puts us in a better position to be successful without him, as opposed to where we were last year,” Green said. “And obviously, Yax..Having a guy who you can still give the ball to, who can create an advantage, he’s playing a lot better. The growth of BP (Brandin Podziemski), the growth of a lot of our young guys … I think we’re much better (equipped).”
Lendeborg, who is the favorite to win Rookie of the Year this season with an incredible start to his NBA career, will play a huge role in what happens to Golden State over the next few weeks. His teammates have confidence in him, and in an era in which the Warriors haven’t gotten the most out of their young talent, there’s an expectation he’ll step into a bigger role with ease.
“He’s done a really good job of playing the game at an even pace. Not peaks and valleys, which you rarely see from rookies,” Niang added. “Say what you want, (he’s) 24, but he’s coming from college to the NBA; it’s a culture shock. The game is so fast here, and he’s doing this against guys that have been doing this for a long time. Just his strength, his attitude, his openness to learn. He is a special player, and he’s gonna be even more special because he shows up every day.”
Things won’t be easy for the Warriors, but after a strong start to the season, as Friedell discussed, this group looks a lot more equipped to deal with the adversity that comes with missing a team’s superstar.
Stephen Curry Injury Update From Shams Charania
Initial reports were that Curry’s oblique injury would force him out for two weeks. That wasn’t great, but things could have been worse.
Well, actually, things did get worse, as speaking on NBA Today, ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed the Warriors star might be sitting out longer than expected, with a return timeline closer to four weeks rather than two.
“I’m told that Stephen Curry is actually going to be sidelined for closer to one month with this oblique abdominal tear that he suffered,” Charania said.
The insider did say the Warriors will re-evaluate Curry’s injury status 14 days from now, but that’s no guarantee he returns closer to Thanksgiving.
“And at that point they’re going to get a better feel for his recovery, how much time he’s going to need in his rehab, whether it’s going to require three weeks or four weeks or more,” he added.
It was a dream start for Curry and Golden State, as the 38-year-old superstar was having one of the best seasons of his career. He is averaging 27.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on 50/45.7/98.7 shooting splits, and that includes the three points he scored against the Rockets before going down with the injury, subsequently tanking his averages after a blistering first 10 games of the year.
Without Curry, life will be tough for Golden State. However, as Friedell mentioned, perhaps not as bad as it would have been in years past. The Warriors are 8-4 and, with a strong supporting cast, can still play high-level basketball while the superstar recovers.
Warriors Get Positive News Despite Concerning Steph Curry Injury Update