Following a home-court humiliation against the San Antonio Spurs, the Golden State Warriors eye revenge. In the process, the Dubs are set to land in Texas to face their opponents on 11th March at the Frost Bank Center. Amidst the anticipation, concerns arise over the availability of their All-Star performer Stephen Curry following his latest injury.
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The 35-year-old sprained his right ankle while attempting to score a basket during a recent clash against the Chicago Bulls. Soon after this, the 4x champion had to leave the court with four minutes still left to play in the final quarter, raising question marks over his availability in the following games. That said, the franchise has since downplayed the extent of the injury, citing “no structural damage” to Curry’s ankle.
Yet, Curry did not feature in the following game against the Spurs to focus on recovery, something that is unfortunately set to continue, as according to the latest injury report, the 2x MVP has been listed as “Out” ahead of tonight, extending his absence from the court to two games, as per NBA.com.
The franchise has already hinted at further evaluation being required before coming to a final decision regarding their talisman’s return. Undoubtedly, this shifts the pressure entirely onto the rest of the roster and coaching staff. The supporters hope for improvement as the team aims to collectively replace Curry’s stat line of 26.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, as per Basketball Reference.
Can the Golden State Warriors cope in the absence of Stephen Curry?
Despite entering the last game as favorites, the organization succumbed under pressure in front of the home crowd. After trailing by 19 points at the end of the first half, they failed to close the gap in the following two quarters. The unavailability of the Splash Brother turned out to be a defining factor as the hosts failed to control the rhythm of the game.
The shortcomings paved the way for several concerns surrounding the capabilities of the squad. However, Jonathan Kuminga defended the roster in the post-match conference while emphasizing accountability, declaring, “We got a great team to compete against anybody. Of course, we gonna feel Steph’s absence but that can’t be a reason – because Steph not playing we are losing”.
With a 33-30 run till now, the franchise remains in contention for securing a play-in spot. Yet, the fans would certainly aim to reach the playoffs more securely while carrying better momentum. Consequently, the players must take on more responsibility as they hope to prove their worth to the supporters with a revenge victory.
