Though Dallas' NBA franchise has had only a so-so season so far this year, whatever the Mavericks did last night was enough to beat the 2015 NBA champs in a 114-91 win over the Golden State Warriors.
The 19-13 Mavs faced the now 29-2 Warriors at the American Airlines Center Wednesday, but the latter team was missing a signifiant player: NBA MVP and leading scorer (and the Associated Press' Male Athlete of the Year) Steph Curry was in street clothes last night, waylaid by an injured lower leg.
And the Warriors clearly felt his absence, as even Dallas guard Devin Harris noted.
"They were a little short-handed tonight. Might have made a little difference," Harris said after his team's win.
"The attention that he brings in shotmaking and the way the offense flows with him out there, obviously was a little bit different tonight."
According to ESPN, last night's loss was "Golden State's worst defeat since a 31-point loss to Houston in 2013." But even with that spanking, they still have "the best 31-game start in NBA history," according to the Associated Press.
Curry, who reportedly injured his leg Monday when the Warriors played Sacramento, took an MRI Wednesday that revealed "a bruise but no structural damage," ESPN reports. Interim coach Luke Walton says that Curry "might need a couple of days to heal," which could make things difficult for the Warriors in their game tonight against the Houston Rockets, should Curry miss this one as well.
Curry is "one of those rare players in this league that affects the entire game just by being on the court," Walton said after Wednesday's loss.
"Obviously, without him the spacing won't be as good."
The Warriors face the Rockets in Houston today at 4 p.m. PT. You can catch it locally on CSN Bay Area, or at one of our favorite bars to watch the Warriors win.
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