San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Curry hot but then hobbled in defeat
Stephen Curry’s MVPcaliber production this season has underscored a sobering truth for the Warriors: As mediocre as they’ve been at times, they’d be far worse without him.
That’s why, midway through the fourth quarter of Saturday night’s 119114 loss to the Celtics at TD Garden, Golden State fans might have panicked at the sight of Curry hobbling up and down the court. After he rolled his left ankle trying to get separation from Boston forward Jayson Tatum, Curry was trying to walk it off.
Well aware that the Warriors would need him to push their seasonbest win streak to five games, he stayed on the floor. His team down two when he was hurt,
Curry drained two 3pointers to help give Golden State a sixpoint cushion, only for the Celtics to retake the lead on a Marcus Smart 3pointer with 1:16 left.
After Boston guard Kemba Walker hit a stepback 3pointer to put the Celtics up five with 24.8 seconds remaining, Curry responded with a 3pointer of his own. Moments
later, while waiting for Tatum to shoot foul shots, Curry grimaced as he walked with a visible limp.
He did all he could, playing through an injury late to give the Warriors a chance as he finished with 47 points on 15for27 shooting (11for19 from 3point range), seven rebounds and three assists. It was Curry’s 10th straight game with at least 30 points and his third in the past four with at least 10 made 3pointers.
But Tatum, who posted 44 points on 16for25 shooting (5for9 from 3point range), 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals, was the one who helped polish off his team’s win at the foul line. After the final buzzer sounded, Curry embraced Tatum and congratulated him on a memorable effort.
“It felt like a playoff game out there,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “Both teams were just gassed and competed like crazy . ... It hurts to lose, but I told the team it felt like they got better tonight.”
The Warriors piled up 17 turnovers, committed 23 fouls and were outrebounded 148 on the offensive glass, but they weren’t bemoaning whatifs postgame. This was the type of hardfought loss that Kerr believes will prepare young players for a postseason environment.
With 15 games left,
Golden State is ninth in the Western Conference standings and well positioned for a spot in the playin tournament. The big question is how much time important players will miss with injuries.
Forward Juan ToscanoAnderson, whose hustle and defense have been a driving force behind the Warriors’ recent surge, left midway through the fourth quarter with a laceration on his head after he crashed into the scorer’s table chasing a loose ball. He had stitches and was diagnosed with a concussion.
If ToscanoAnderson is sidelined, he’ll join an already lengthy injury report. Center James Wiseman has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn right meniscus. Forward Eric Paschall will miss at least a couple more games with a strained left hip flexor. Guard Kelly Oubre Jr. could return from a sprained left wrist as soon as Monday’s game in Philadelphia.
As for Curry? He said he’ll see how his ankle feels Sunday, and he’s hopeful he’ll be available against the 76ers.
Given how critical Curry is to the Warriors’ success, even a one or twogame absence would be a significant blow. Golden State is 17 without him this season.
“Obviously, we need him, to say the least,” forward Draymond Green said. “Hopefully we’ll have him on Monday. Because when we don’t, it gets real hard.”