Steph Curry is without a doubt the most exciting offensive player in the NBA, and he’s proved over the years that it’s almost impossible for defenders to stop him when he finds his rhythm. Curry led to Warriors to 73 wins in the regular season, a feat that has never been accomplished in the history of the NBA, but the accomplishment will lose some of its luster if the Warriors can’t couple it with an NBA Championship. So while defenders work to figure out how to stop Curry, his biggest opponent may be his own ankles.
Anyone who has followed the blog over the years knows that Curry has been featured here on numerous occasions. Just take a look at all the times we’ve blogged about him, and see if you can detect a common theme:
- Steph Curry Evens Playoff Series Despite Injuring Foot
- Curry To Undergo Exploratory Ankle Surgery
- Warriors’ Curry Rolls Ankle After Surgery
- Steph Curry Rolls Ankle Again – What’s The Underlying Issue?
- Warriors’ Curry Battling Another Ankle Injury
- Curry Injures Ankle, Then Hits Game Winner in OT
Not only has Curry been somewhat injury prone, but all of his injuries have centered around his feet and ankles, which is why the following headline shouldn’t be surprising.
Curry Misses Playoff Game With Ankle Injury
Steph Curry missed Monday’s Game 2 against the Houston with lingering ankle soreness. Curry originally tweaked his right ankle during Game 1 of the Warriors’ first round playoff series against the Rockets, and although he said he expected to play following the first game, he was unable to participate in Monday’s shootaround and ultimately was held out of the game.
Most NBA insiders are suggesting that the move was precautionary, that Curry could have played if the team really needed him, and that the Warriors are trying to get him healthy for tougher competition. The Warriors were able to dispatch the Rockers by a score of 115-106 despite Curry’s absence, but even if his injury is minor, it’s still concerning that it’s flaring up at the most important time of the season.
Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday, and it may play out in a very similar manner as Game 2. If Steph sat out the game, he could rest his ankle until Sunday when Game 4 is scheduled, but there’s a good chance the Warriors could lose Thursday on the road without Curry, and then there’s the possibility that he could be rusty when he returns.
At the end of the day, the Warriors should have no problem finishing off the Rockets with or without Curry, but the earlier the series wraps up, the more rest they’ll get between each series, which is especially important this time of year. Curry has already undergone two surgeries on his right ankle, but he’s a competitor, and I expect him to be out there for Game 3, but all it takes is one wrong step for the Warriors to go from title favorites to quick underdogs. I hope he stays healthy, as he is fun to watch, but I think he should consider intense offseason treatment to really uncover the root cause of all his ankle issues. Previously I wrote that I believe Curry is dealing with hindfoot instability underneath his ankle instability, but we won’t know until he gets a thorough examination this offseason.
