On the injury front, Warriors get some good news, bad news
SAN FRANCISCO >> On Wednesday, the Warriors got two players back from extended injuries and news that two rotation pieces will be out for a while.
After missing the entirety of the preseason with injuries, center Willie Cauley-Stein (foot) and guard Alec Burks (ankle) were back in the lineup in time for the Warriors’ matchup with the
Phoenix Suns. However, guard Jacob Evans and center Kevon Looney will be sidelined indefinitely while being evaluated.
Worse news happened after halftime. Stephen Curry exited the game against the Phoenix Suns in the third quarter with an apparent wrist injury.
Three-and-a-half minutes into the quarter, Curry drove for a layup and was fouled by Suns center Aron Baynes and fell head first into the restricted area. The 6-foot-10, 260 pound Baynes fell with him, and landed on Curry.
Curry laid on the ground for about 15 seconds, grimacing as he grabbed his left wrist, before being helped up by Warriors forward Draymond Green. He then stood for a while, hunched over in
apparent pain.
After a short sit on the bench, Curry went to the locker room. Because Curry did not shoot his free throws, he was not eligible to return to the game.
Evans will be reevaluated in three weeks after suffering a right adductor strain in the first quarter of the Warriors’ win in New Orleans on Monday. Looney will miss the upcoming four-game homestand, and possibly more.
While the Warriors will welcome Cauley-Stein’s size and Burks’ scoring ability, they lose two players as well. It’s a tough blow for a team that entered the season shorthanded and is cycling through injuries while trying to establish some continuity.
Cauley-Stein returned ahead of schedule.
Originally set to be reevaluated at this time, Cauley-Stein recovered well enough from a right foot sprain he suffered prior to training camp. Wednesday was his first on-court introduction to the team after signing a two-year, $4.4 million deal in July.
“Finally,” Cauley-Stein said of the wait Wednesday. “It was long, but they kept me busy. I was always doing something with either conditioning or weights, or just spot shots. I haven’t just been sitting around and being tortured just watching. I’m just so excited to be healthy again.”
Without Looney or Cauley-Stein, the Warriors have relied on forwards Draymond
Green, Marquese Chriss and Omari Spellman to fill in at center. Getting Cauley-Stein back will help a defense that has given up the third-most points in the paint per game this season.
“We desperately need both of them,” coach Steve Kerr said before Wednesday’s game. “But given that Loon may be out a little bit, we don’t know yet, but it’s good to get Willie back so we at least get one of them back, and that’s a big deal for us. We obviously haven’t had much size working for us here in this early going, so Willie will help.”
Looney, 23, played 11 minutes in the season opener but exited the game when he re-aggravated a hamstring injury that sidelined him the entire preseason. It was revealed that Looney’s hamstring is healthy, but is dealing with a neuropathic condition that is preventing him from playing. He will meet with specialists in the coming days to help decide on treatment.
Burks, who signed with the Warriors on a minimum contract this summer, will help replace the loss of Evans.
“We liked Alec’s offensive aggressiveness,” Kerr said. “He’s not shy, he’s going to go out there and attack the rim. He’s been a really good offensive player. He’s got good size. We don’t have a ton of wings, so he should be a good addition.”
The 28th pick in last year’s draft, Evans, 22, played in just 30 games as a rookie and averaged 6.8 minutes per game. After free agency and injuries depleted the Warriors roster, Evans became a key part of the rotation, averaging 14.3 minutes in the first three games.