Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry will not be in the lineup due to a left shoulder subluxation (i.e. partial dislocation). The team announced this on Thursday. While the Warriors have not released an official schedule for his return, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Curry will be on hiatus for at least two weeks. Curry will not require surgery and is expected to return to court in about a month. Charania reported during an appearance on Bally Sports.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported first that Curry would be absent for a couple of weeks.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Curry declined to give a timeline, noting that this is the first time he has suffered the injury. He said he was happy to avoid surgery and didn’t know if surgery might be necessary in the off-season.
“From what I know about shoulder injuries and situations like this, it’s great news that you can always avoid surgery or anything like that,” Curry said. “It’s my first time doing it and it usually takes a little longer than if it’s a recurring thing. I just have to trust the plan we have and get my job done.
“Rear end [of the recovery] should be much faster than the front end from what I’m told. Hard to say [exactly how long I’ll be out] because it’s the first time I’ve done it. All I know is that it’s the first time I’m trying to keep myself away from myself and trying to predict how long it’s going to be. You will let me know.”
Curry added that since he was a right-handed shooter, it was an advantage that he injured his left shoulder more than his right.
“Knowing that it’s left is definitely a godsend in that regard,” Curry said. “Something like when I broke my hand. More of a feeling thing, the confidence that I can still shoot the ball, but I don’t think it helps you come back any faster.”
Curry left the Warriors’ 125-119 loss after injuring his shoulder in the third quarter. In the previous game, Curry missed a 3-pointer and the long rebound gave the Pacers a quick break. As Jalen Smith went to the basket, Curry grabbed a steal and injured his shoulder in the process.
Curry immediately grabbed his shoulder. He was in enough pain for the Warriors to take a time out, after which he headed to the locker room. The team ruled him out for the remainder of the game, but he still finished with 38 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters he would get an MRI Thursday and the team would “hope for the best.”
Please tick the opt-in box to confirm that you wish to opt-in.
Thanks for registering!
Keep an eye on your inbox.
We’re sorry!
There was an error processing your subscription.
The defending champions Warriors are 10th in the West and 14-15 on the season. Now they have to do without their franchise player, who is playing at MVP level again. To say this is a setback would be a massive understatement. Golden State has scored 120.8 points per 100 possessions with Curry on the court, according to Cleaning The Glass, and amassed a dismal 103 per 100 in zero-litter minutes without him. With Curry on the court, it has outperformed opponents by 8.4 points per 100 possessions, and without him, it has outperformed by 9.8 per 100 points per CTG. He’s always had incredible on/off numbers, but this year’s team is particularly top-heavy – they have the worst bench in the league in terms of overall net rating and their starting lineup was dominant.
The Warriors have four games left on their road trip — Philadelphia, Toronto, New York and Brooklyn — before hosting the Memphis Grizzlies on December 25. This Christmas Day game, which has just lost much of its luster, is the start of an eight-game homestand that will also see Charlotte, Utah, Portland, Atlanta, Detroit, Orlando and Phoenix visit the Chase Center. If Curry is reevaluated in exactly two weeks, as reported by The Athletic, it would take place between the Utah and Portland games.
Without Curry, guard Jordan Poole will take on more responsibility for the game and is expected to remain in the starting lineup when Andrew Wiggins returns from his adductor injury. Poole has been more aggressive, productive and efficient as a starter than as a reserve this season, as evidenced by his splits per 36 minutes: 27.7 points (with 58.4 percent accuracy), 4.9 assists, 3.7 turnovers on the starting lineup ; 19.4 points (at 52.9 percent true shooting), 6.4 assists, 4.0 turnovers when switching from the bench.
Curry’s absence will also likely mean backup guard Ty Jerome will see regular minutes. Jerome has been on the fringes of Golden State’s rotation since signing a two-way contract just before the season begins.