Stephen Curry to be reevaluated Tuesday after MRI shows ankle sprain
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry could be back in action just a few games after he rolled his ankle and limped off the court in the final minutes of a home loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.
An MRI on the 35-year-old's right ankle returned clean on Friday, the team confirmed Saturday. He will miss Saturday's game against San Antonio Spurs and be be reevaluated for a Tuesday return, which means he will also miss Monday's matchup with the Spurs.
The update should quell concerns for Warriors fans who were left with bated breath when Curry didn't return in the fourth quarter of Thursday's 125-122 defeat.
Curry was gathering the ball after receiving a pass on a cut to the basket when he rolled his right ankle. He let out multiple yells loud enough for the broadcast's mics to pick up before his exit. His MRI results ruled out ligament and tissue damage or a fracture.
Immediately after the game, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters that he didn't have an update on Curry's status because he hadn't spoken with team trainers. Curry wasn't in the locker room for media availability, but Kerr noted that he saw the guard soaking his right foot in an ice bath.
“His spirits are high,” Draymond Green said when asked about Curry on Thursday night. “So hopefully, it's not too bad. But we've just got to wait and see.
Curry has a history of ankle injuries that dates all the way back to his rookie season in 2010. He missed the first game of his professional career due to a left ankle sprain, then underwent ankle surgery after being sidelined for eight games throughout the year. At one point in his second season, Curry sprained his ankle twice in seven days.
The two-time NBA MVP has missed three games this season, and the Warriors are 0-3 without him. In November, he was out for two matchups due to a right knee injury. In January, the team rested him against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Warriors currently sit 10th in the Western Conference, just a half-game back of the ninth-place Los Angeles Lakers.
Golden State's games against the Spurs are followed by matchups with the Mavericks on March 13 and the Lakers three days later.
Teammate Klay Thompson indicated the team is prepared to win while Curry recovers.
"If he is out, it's unfortunate, but it's part of the length of the season," he said during Thursday's postgame news conference. "We'll do well without him. We can rely on our history and execute without him."
