Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry will miss the next two games, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic, after suffering a left ankle sprain on Sunday, October 27, in the team’s 112-104 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Slater added that the MRI result showed no structural damage on Curry’s left ankle. He will be evaluated on November 1 before the Warriors embark on a five-game road trip.
Curry, 36, suffered the injury twice in the game.
The Warriors star first tweaked his left ankle late in the third quarter. He returned four minutes into the fourth quarter and quickly aggravated the injury.
https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1850730021767487555
Warriors coach Steve Kerr wasn’t too worried after the game.
“He’s doing okay,” Kerr told reporters. “He used the word ‘mild to moderate.’ He’s obviously sprained that ankle many times before. So he doesn’t think it’s too bad, but obviously, it’s a concern.”
Curry had an extensive history of ankle injuries in the early part of his career. Wearing ankle braces helped him minimize those concerns.
Curry left the game for good, with the Warriors trailing by 10. He finished with 18 points and six assists in 27 minutes of play.
Andrew Wiggins tried to rally the Warriors in Curry’s absence. Wiggin’s 3-pointer at the 3:47 mark of the fourth brought the Warriors within one. But James Harden, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac steadied the Clippers down the stretch.
Andrew Wiggins Expected to Step Up
Kerr is confident the Warriors have the depth to cushion the impact of Curry’s absence in the next two games against the New Orleans Pelicans.
“I feel more comfortable that we can withstand an absence offensively without Steph because of [our] depth,” Kerr told ESPN.
Kerr is counting on Wiggins to step up as the Warriors’ go-to guy in Curry’s absence. Against the Clippers, Wiggins scored a season-high 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-8 from deep.
“Wiggs is off to a great start and had a great night,” Kerr said. “He’s an obvious candidate to get the ball more. But we’ve got a deep team. We’ve got a lot of guys who can play. We will be ready.”
Through the first three games of the season, Wiggins is averaging 19.7 points on 55% shooting and 57.9% from the 3-point line with 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 blocks.
Top Candidate to Take Over Steph Curry’s Spot
With Curry and De’Anthony Melton (right facet inflammation), Buddy Hield is the top candidate to join the Warriors’ starting unit.
Hield has been the Warriors’ Sixth Man to begin the season. The veteran guard is averaging 19 points behind a staggering 53% shooting from the 3-point line in just 20.8 minutes. He’s also putting up 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
“We’ve just got to stick together,” Hield told ESPN in the wake of Curry’s injury. “It’ll be a great challenge.”
Jonathan Kuminga, who’s been struggling to start his contract year, is also expected to get more touches.
Kuminga has been a token starter in the Warriors’ first three games, averaging only 19.7 minutes and eight attempts per game. The former lottery pick has been struggling to find his rhythm, averaging only 8.0 points on 33.3% shooting, including a horrible 11.1% from beyond the arc.
