NBA Rumors: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry Battling Through A Myriad Of Injuries, Warriors One Win From NBA Championship
A win from reclaiming glory, reigning NBA MVP Stephen Curry is reportedly dealing with an assortment of nagging injuries. News reports have surfaced claiming Curry’s shoulder, ankle, and knee are banged up after a grueling 82-game regular season and deep playoff run.
Though Curry missed time earlier in the playoffs due to a sprained MCL, the 28-year-old insists his ailments aren’t as severe as some have portrayed them.
“I can’t even keep a straight face, whoever said I was getting shoulder surgery and all that kind of stuff,” Curry said, smiling. “We got bumps and bruises but we’ll be all right. We’ll be fine.”
However, knowing his historic Warriors are one win shy of repeating as NBA Champions may take some of the sting off Curry’s injuries. Earlier this week, a reluctant Stephen Curry withdrew his name from Rio Olympic participation. Though Curry cited no concrete reason for withdrawing, many suspect nagging injuries to be the culprit.
“If Steph Curry has only been Steph Curry intermittently, there’s a reason. He’s hurting… even more than he acknowledged last week while withdrawing from the U.S. Olympic team. It’s not just the ankle and the knee that he sprained, sidelining him for six games in the first two rounds. A source says Curry consulted a orthopedist in Southern California. Steph’s MRI showed issues with both shoulders as well as his knees, some of which may require surgery this summer.”
While Curry has been noticeably hobbled this post-season, his playoff numbers of 25.3 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.6 steals on 45/41/91 shooting have only declined slightly from a historical regular season. During the playoffs, the league’s lone unanimous MVP is connecting on 4.3 three-pointers per outing. This comes after Curry’s staggering 402 three-pointers made shattered the previous league record held by teammate Klay Thompson.
Considering Green’s underhanded play this post-season, many felt the suspension was long overdue.
As Golden State’s vaunted “death lineup” will be unavailable when game five of the NBA Finals emanates from Oracle Arena, the splash brother’s back-court will still be a force unto itself. Curry’s All-NBA running mate Klay Thompson is leading the playoffs in three-pointers made (87), while averaging 24.1 points.
If Curry and his 73-win Warriors squad repeats as champions, many feel this would cap the greatest single-season in NBA history.
Ultimately, when the dust clears and the smoke settles, Stephen Curry will have an off-season to allow his body to heal. During that time, many fans and pundits alike will likely postulate whether Curry’s 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors had the finest single-season of any sporting team ever assembled.
With a commanding 3-1 series lead over the fading Cleveland Cavaliers, Stephen Curry is looking to secure another win to allow his body time to rest.
[Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]
