After a serious scare for the Golden State Warriors during Wednesday night’s NBA Finals loss, star point guard Stephen Curry has “avoided a major” injury to his left foot, and the team is hopeful he will suit up for their critical Game 4 matchup, according to reports.
Sources told The Athletic that the 34-year-old will practice with the team on Thursday, and will not undergo an MRI.
That news is surely a huge sigh of relief for the Warriors, who are now trailing 2–1 against the Boston Celtics in their quest to capture their 4th championship in 8 years.
READ ALSO: 2022 NBA Finals: Warriors vs Celtics Game 4 Preview, Odds, and Pick
Curry found himself reeling in pain on the floor during the 4th quarter of the team’s losing effort at the TD Garden, which came after the 240-pound Boston center Al Horford fell on top of the 3-point specialist’s leg while the two squads were fighting over a loose ball.
“I got caught underneath Al,” Curry said after the contest. “Obviously, there’ll be some pain, but I’ll be alright.”
Curry remained in the game following the incident as the Warriors were trailing by 2 points when, but was notably hobbled for the remainder of the matchup.
Head coach Steve Kerr brushed off the possibility of Curry missing time, and said he only sent the future-Hall of Famer to the bench once the outcome of the game was essentially decided.
“The injury didn’t force him out of the game, but I took him out while we were down 14 [points] with 2 minutes left because we weren’t going to catch up,” said Kerr.
Throughout 19 games in these playoffs, Curry has averaged 26.8 points, 5.8 assists and 4.9 rebounds.
For more coverage of Stephen Curry and the NBA, head to amNY.com.
The Warriors have already dealt with significant injury complications this season, as Curry’s backcourt partner Klay Thompson spent this season coming back from an ACL injury that he suffered in the 2019 NBA Finals, when Golden State lost to the Toronto Raptors.
Thompson then suffered a torn achilles tendon during his recovery process, and missed the entire 2020–21 season. He returned to this court this season in January, but has thus far failed to regain the explosiveness that made him such a dual-threat earlier in his career.
With a limping Thompson, a Curry injury would have been devastating for the Warriors, who have been physically outmatched at times by the impressive defense of the Celtics.
As Game 4 comes on Friday night in Boston, the Warriors are looking to avoid a debilitating 3–1 deficit. Only one team has come back from that to win a championship — when the Cleveland Cavaliers did so against the Warriors in the 2016 Finals.
Curry finding his way back into the lineup will be a huge boost for the team on the ropes, and a win would bring the series back to California on Monday tied 2–2.
Check out amNewYork’s guide to Friday night’s Game 4 here.
