The Golden State Warriors received some good news on Friday, as an MRI on their star guard Steph Curry’s right ankle revealed no structural damage, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Curry suffered the injury in the final minutes of the Warriors’ 125-122 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night when he landed awkwardly on his foot after a layup attempt.
MRI results show no structural damage
The Golden State Warriors received some good news on Friday, as an MRI on their star guard Stephen Curry’s right ankle revealed no structural damage, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Curry suffered the injury in the final minutes of the Warriors’ 125-122 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night when he landed awkwardly on his foot after a layup attempt.
Curry, who is averaging 28.4 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game this season, will now focus on rehabbing his ankle and returning to the court as soon as possible. Wojnarowski reported that the Warriors expect Curry to miss only a few games, depending on how his ankle responds over the next several days.
Warriors keep an eye Curry’s status
The Warriors did not provide an official update on Curry’s ankle injury after Thursday’s game, and they also delayed announcing his status for Saturday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs until 5 p.m. local time on Friday, as per NBA rules. This caused some anxiety among Warriors fans, who feared that Curry’s injury might be more serious than initially thought.
The mood in the Warriors’ locker room after the game was also somber, as Curry did not speak to the media and was seen with his right foot in a bucket of ice. The Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr said he had not talked to the team’s medical staff yet and did not have any information on Curry’s condition. The Warriors also changed their usual postgame media protocol, as Kerr spoke to the reporters quickly and the locker room was opened later than usual, presumably to avoid showing Curry to the public.
Curry’s teammate and fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson, who is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, expressed his concern and support for Curry. “He had his ankle wrap on, icing his ankle,” Thompson said. “I know we’re going to miss him … if he does have time off. We’ve been in this position before where he has had time off and we have to do it collectively. I know he’ll be ready to go when he does come back.”
Curry’s history of ankle injuries
Curry, who is 35 years old, has had a history of ankle injuries in his career, especially in his early years with the Warriors. He underwent multiple surgeries on his right ankle in 2011 and 2012 and missed a significant amount of games due to sprains and tweaks. However, in recent seasons, Curry has been able to keep his ankles healthy and stable and has not missed more than 11 games in a season since 2017-18.
The Warriors are hoping that Curry’s latest ankle injury is just a minor setback and that he will be able to resume his stellar play soon. Curry is having one of his best seasons ever, leading the league in scoring and shooting at a high efficiency. He is also in the MVP conversation, as he has carried the Warriors to a 32-33 record and the ninth seed in the Western Conference, despite the absence of Thompson and the lack of depth on the roster.
The Warriors will need Curry to be at his best for the final stretch of the regular season and the play-in tournament, where they will likely face the Los Angeles Lakers. Curry’s ankle injury is not serious, but it is still a cause for concern for the Warriors and their fans, who are hoping for a quick and full recovery.