The Golden State Warriors lost Game 3 of the NBA Finals, but a more pressing concern for the San Francisco-based team is the injury sustained by talisman and star-show Stephen Curry. Contesting a loose ball deep into the fourth quarter, the Warriors’ point guard would find himself in a scrum involving at least six players. In the ensuing melee, Boston Celtics’ 6 ft. 9-inch colossus Al Horford accidentally landed on Curry’s lower left foot, leaving him in obvious discomfort.
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Facing a turnover time of only 48 hours between Game 3 and Game 4, the Warriors will be fretting about Curry’s fitness. For his part, Steph has assured all and sundry that he will be turning up for Game 4, even if he has to play through pain. Speaking after last night’s loss to the Celtics, the two-time MVP gave short shrift to the injury on his left foot:
“I’m going to play, that’s all I know right now. I’ll be all right! I got caught underneath Al [Horford]. Obviously, there’ll be some pain, but I’ll be all right. Figure out how it feels tomorrow and get ready for Friday … [It was] the same thing I did against Boston during the regular season, but not as bad,” quotes CBS Sports.
The injury does not seem as bad as the one he alluded to in the post-match presser. In the Warriors’ regular-season clash against Finals opponents Celtics, Curry was forced to leave the game in the second quarter. MRI scans revealed a sprained ligament, keeping him out of the final 12 games of the (regular) season. Fielding questions on the extent of the two injuries, Steph’s assessment was that the one sustained last night was milder in comparison:
“When I did it in the regular season, I knew right away that something was severely wrong. Last night I knew I was hurt, but it was not as bad.”
“I could kind of gauge whether I should stay out there or not and not do any more damage. That’s why I’m very confident I’m going to play tomorrow and keep it moving. You become your own doctor to a certain extent based on all the different episodes that you’ve had.”
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Although Curry’s assertion brings some relief to the Warriors camp, fears of aggravating the injury are not unfounded. The Celtics play a physical game, with coach Udoka tasking his wards to hound out Curry. Despite all the attention, he still managed to rack up 31 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. With the Warriors unsettled and trailing 2-1, the Dubs will need their star man to run the show to regain a foothold in the Finals.
