Klay Thompson laced up his sneakers and trotted out onto the Chase Center floor just eight days ago. Ironically, the Golden State Warriors have dealt with more health issues in the week since than had plagued the team the entire season to this point.
In a cruel twist of fate, both Steph Curry and Draymond Green sustained injuries starting the very day of Thompson’s return. The developments have pushed off the long-awaited reunion of Golden State’s Big 3, which has now been two and a half years in the making. News that came down over the weekend on those injuries all but guarantees that Dubs fans will have to wait even longer to see Curry, Thompson and Green on the hardwood together again, as what once seemed an inevitable mid-season reality is feeling more and more like a desert mirage.
The good news is that it won’t likely be Curry holding up the homecoming after he fell hard on his shooting hand in the Warriors’ blowout victory of the Chicago Bulls on Friday, January 14. The tumble knocked Curry out of the fourth and final game of the Dubs’ Eastern Conference road swing against the Minnesota Timberwolves Sunday night. However, Anthony Slater, of The Athletic, reported the same day that the team is hopeful one game is all its MVP candidate will miss.
Steph Curry left the Warriors’ road trip early. He’s back in the Bay Area with Rick Celebrini. Belief is his hand injury is very minor. Steve Kerr said team is hopeful he will play Tuesday against the Pistons.
“Steph Curry left the Warriors’ road trip early. He’s back in the Bay Area with Rick Celebrini,” Slater tweeted. “Belief is his hand injury is very minor. Steve Kerr said team is hopeful he will play Tuesday against the Pistons.”
Hand Injury Proved Scary Moment For Curry
GettyGolden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry reacts to a play in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Curry’s fall, which ultimately appears it won’t cost the point guard a significant chunk of his season, was nevertheless a scary moment for player and fans alike.
Curry drove the ball to the hoop early in the second quarter and was fouled by Bulls guard Lonzo Ball while he was in the air. He took a tumble to the floor and got up first shaking his hand, then clutching at it as he walked to the free throw line. Slater posted video of the play on Twitter Saturday night.
Here is the play where Steph Curry hurt his right hand, which will force him to miss Sunday’s game in Minnesota
“Here is the play where Steph Curry hurt his right hand, which will force him to miss Sunday’s game in Minnesota,” Slater wrote.
Curry, a better than 91% free throw shooter on the year, stepped to the line and watched his first shot come up way short, clanking off the front of the rim. His hand was clearly hurting him. He continued wincing and clutching at his hand in between shots, though was able to sink free throw No. 2.
The Dubs’ guard spoke to the injury following the game, admitting that it conjured some painful memories.
“Anything that involves the hands, especially the right one, a little concern,” Curry told the media. “But feeling came back, strength came back. It hurts, but I’m gonna be alright.”
“Had some PTSD from two years ago when I landed. It felt kinda the same,” Curry continued, referencing a broken hand he suffered against the Phoenix Suns in late October 2019, which cost him the rest of that season. “But I’m gonna get it looked at, figure it out. Should be alright.”
Green Out For Extended Period, Calf Injury Worse Than Thought
GettyKlay Thompson (left) and Draymond Green (right), of the Golden State Warriors, react after a foul call against the Toronto Raptors in the first half during Game Five of the 2019 NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena on June 10, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Unlike Curry’s injury, which perhaps seemed at first worse than it actually was, Green’s calf injury has proven worse than it originally seemed. In fact, it has expanded to include another part of his body. Thus, the duration of time the forward is expected to miss has expanded, as well.
The team updated Green’s status in an official statement Sunday after he underwent an MRI and consulted with specialists.
Draymond Green injury update:
“The evaluations indicated the left calf soreness/tightness is tied to the involvement of a disc in his lower back,” the statement said. “Draymond will receive physical therapy in the coming days and will continue to be monitored by the team’s medical and training staff. He will be re-evaluated again in two weeks.”
The two weeks Green is expected to miss will encompass the entirety of the Warriors’ upcoming seven-game home stand, which opens Tuesday night against the Detroit Pistons and winds down January 29 against the Brooklyn Nets.
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Warriors Update Hand Injury That Left Steph Curry Sidelined