Stephen Curry is going to miss time with a right ankle injury. The Golden State Warriors just aren’t totally sure how long he’ll be out.
The two-time MVP rolled his right ankle late in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ Monday night victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Neither X-rays nor an MRI revealed anything sinister, but as The Vertical’s Shams Charania first reported, the team doesn’t yet know when he’ll be back:
Sources: Warriors All-Star Stephen Curry's MRI result revealed no structural damage on injured right ankle, but significant swelling and no return timetable.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 5, 2017
Golden State has listed Stephen Curry as doubtful to play on Wednesday. Curry's ankle is stable, but he could be out a while, sources say. https://t.co/I8oqbcilmg
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 5, 2017
Golden State offered the following statement, noting Curry will be re-evaluated in a couple weeks:
Injury update: Stephen Curry underwent an MRI today in Charlotte, the results of which confirmed that he suffered a sprained right ankle in last night’s game at New Orleans. The MRI indicated that the ankle is stable and structurally intact. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) December 5, 2017
While this doesn’t seem like a serious issue, it doesn’t appear particularly minor, as The Athletic’s Anthony Slated pointed out:
Curry's ankle swelling was about the size of a baseball last night.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 5, 2017
The Warriors will be fine in Curry’s absence…for the most part. Their point differential suffers most when he’s off the court, but they’re still a plus-6.1 per 100 possessions during that time, according to NBA.com. They only have to worry if they lose another star, or if Curry’s stay on the sidelines spans longer than the next few weeks.
One interesting thing to consider: Curry’s status for the Warriors’ Christmas Day matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Returning in exactly two weeks would make him available for a Dec. 20 tilt with the Memphis Grizzlies, but if he needs more time off upon being re-evaluated, he’ll have almost no chance of making an appearance on Dec. 25.
Playing against the Cavaliers is, of course, secondary to Curry’s long-term health. The Warriors know the regular season is a marathon, and that their primary goal lies with reaching the playoffs and NBA Finals at full strength. But Finals rematches always generate a ton of interest, even when they’re just one-offs in the middle of the regular season. Curry will no doubt want to play in the nationally televised affair against the team that’s considered one of the two or three biggest threats to Golden State’s championship throne.
