Stephen Curry has been the best player in the NBA Finals. That continued Wednesday in Game 3, he sparked the Warriors’ third-quarter run and finished with 31 points on 12-of-22 shooting in a losing effort.
Without him, the Warriors would be doomed in these Finals.
Which is why what happened with three minutes left in the game was so concerning. In the Warriors’ last chance for a comeback push, Curry and Al Horford both dove to the floor going after a loose ball off a Jayson Tatum miss, and Horford rolled up on Curry’s legs. It wasn’t malicious or intentional, but Curry was clearly in pain and came out of the pile limping.
Steph appeared to be in pain after scrambling for a ball late in the fourth quarter pic.twitter.com/nRkBaWfCSA
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 9, 2022
After the game, Steve Kerr said they would know more about Curry’s condition Thursday.
“I’ll be alright,” Curry said. “I got caught — obviously in some pain, but I’ll be all right. See how it feels tomorrow and get ready for Friday.”
This play was the same one where Draymond Green picked up his sixth foul and was ejected.
“I saw him getting dove on and that was about that. So I picked up my foul pushing off him because he’s screaming at the bottom of the pile,” Green said. “I’ll take the foul. I’m going to get him off his legs, though.”
For Warriors fans, this play was reminiscent of when these teams played in March and Marcus Smart dove for a loose ball and rolled up Curry’s leg, giving Curry a sprained foot that had him out a dozen games through the end of the season. Warriors coach Steve Kerr criticized Smart’s play then as “dangerous,” although there was no such talk from the Warriors this time with Horford.
“Same thing I did... against Boston in the regular season, but I’ll be — not as bad...” Curry said.
“That’s what it felt like, and we’ll see how it responds. Not much other to say. I don’t feel like I’ll miss a game. Take advantage of these next 48 hours to get ready.”
The Warriors will need peak Curry in Game 4 to get the win and avoid going down 3-1 to a bigger and more athletic Celtics team.