On Tuesday, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry exited the game after nine minutes, leaving fans wondering to what extent the two-time NBA MVP was injured.
Dubs fans understand the rocky history Steph has with ankle injuries, especially during his first couple of seasons in the league. Indeed, there was a time when Curry was on the verge of becoming one of those players considered a "bust" due to continual nagging injuries. However, after the Warriors showed faith in their young star by signing him to what some believed at the time to be a preposterous 4-year/$44 million contract, in 2013, Steph's health turned a corner for the better. The rest is history.
Yet, Curry has had some notable absences early in postseasons past, leaving the door open for a possibility of future missed games. While the team has plenty of fire power to endure a couple of early-round series sans-Curry, an extended absence would likely be much more difficult even for Golden State to overcome.
Getting back to the injury at-hand: While there weren't many specific details, reporters were able to gain some insight into the likely magnitude and seriousness of the Dubs' sharpshooter's ankle injury. Coach Steve Kerr told reporters, after the game, "[Curry]'s going to be fine." He expounded a bit, adding, "He tweaked it, but we weren't going to mess around."
Steph reportedly did not appear particularly worried about his ankle injury when he was observed in the locker room, signing shoes. Reports also say that he had "no noticeable limp." All of these signs point to the issue being more of a precautionary measure than that of a serious injury. Golden State fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief.
Other Warriors noticeably absent from Tuesday night's 112-103 victory in New Orleans include: forward Kevin Durant (illness) and guard Klay Thompson (rest; sore right knee).