Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry optimistic he’ll be ready for Game 4 despite injury
Late in the fourth quarter of the Golden State Warriors’, San Antonio Spurs’ game three of the western conference semi-finals series, in which the Warriors lost, Stephen Curry suffered a sprained left ankle. He was hobbling, limping and clearly in pain however it wasn’t too severe to force him out the game. Needless to say, Curry said he remains optimistic he’ll be ready to go for game four even if it mean’s his time is limited.
Via Marcus Thompson of the Contra Costa Times:
"If you could gauge it, you think you’ll be abale to play?I think so. You never really know how it’s going to feel the next day. You just keep with the treatment. Same ol’ story. I have the same answers. I hope it feels good enough to go tomorrow. But until I wake up tomorrow and see, you just hope for the best right now.Will you be limited or play the same way?If I can give the team anything, I will play. I feel like if I can get to a point where I’m not hobbling and I can cut how I want to. It doesn’t gave to be 100 percent, as long as I can be confident that it won’t do any further damage. I have a feeling I’ll be at that point tomorrow, no problem.12:30 start a concern for you?A little bit. It’s just a shorter turnaround, literally 36 hours from last night. That’s the main concern compared to having 3 days like I did last time. Just gotta expedite the treatment and stay as consistent as possible."
Following the game, Curry didn’t speak to any reporters, (he had a bad night shooting 5-of-17 shots from the field) and didn’t want to get any treatment for the ankle despite game four starting in Sunday afternoon (12:30 p.m. local time). Initially he wanted to see how he felt first Sunday morning and during shoot-arounds even stating he’ll remain a game time decision however the team made Curry available saturday afternoon when he continued with his treatment.
It’s respectable and brave for Curry to try to play through the pain and contributed any way possible however take in account his recent poor shooting efforts. The Warriors would need him to step it up or he can actually do more harm to the team. Because of his poor shooting, the Spurs were able to adapt and put Danny Green, whose much lengthier, guarding Curry. Green was able to stop Curry in-game two, halting him to just shooting 2-of-11 makes from he field.
If Mark Jackson does play Curry, even for a limited time, the Warriors would be able to stop Green from guarding Curry by building screens. Needless to say, Curry, if on a time restriction may not have much if at all significance or contributions during game four, meaning the Klay Thompson, Carl Landry and Jarrett Jack would have to step up in his absence.