The Golden State Warriors were left battered in their 51-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. For Stephen Curry, it was a day of negligible contribution. He logged in just 2 points, his lowest since March when he scored four against the Boston Celtics. From a look at the stat sheet alone, it looked to be one of those days when even the greatest shooter’s shots just didn’t want to fall. However, an analyst saw a deeper concern.
Early in the season, Curry admitted to having tendinitis in both his knees. It was an issue he hadn’t dealt with before. But to him, it was simply age. The Warriors even devised protocols to appropriately deal with the latest developments. Still, Monte Poole felt the issue was larger than it seemed. “I have no doubt he’s playing through something…The eye test is telling me this isn’t the Steph who’s fully healthy,” he said.
In the little that Stephen Curry did speak about his injury, he opened up about the possibility of it being a “nagging ailment.” But just how much of a concern is it? Dr. Nirav Pandya did have an opinion to share. “Stephen Curry has played 33,000 minutes in his NBA career in a manner that requires constant movement. It’s not surprising that conditions such as knee tendonitis would happen,” he wrote.
He is also confident that with the preparations that Stephen Curry makes for each game, finding a way around the knee problems shouldn’t be an issue. “With the tenacity with which he takes care of his body (i.e., rehab for his ankles), he should be in a great position to be able to manage it,” he further mentioned.
For the Dub Nation, it’s a major relief. Stephen Curry, even though 36 and worn out with injuries, remains to be the cornerstone for the Warriors. Steve Kerr is still certain about building a team around him to fetch another championship in his era. But another reality is that currently, the injury could be limiting Curry.
In terms of his efficiency, Curry hasn’t missed a beat. His three-point percentage has recovered once again, shooting at a healthy 40.9% clip. But what has bothered fans so far is his minutes. Stephen Curry is averaging his lowest minutes since 2012. For all this while, it seemed to be due to Steve Kerr’s lengthy rotations. However, that might not be the case.
As a way of managing the early onset of the injuries, a minute restriction seems to be a way the Warriors’ medical staff sees to be ideal. No matter how close the game may have been, not once has Curry played 40 minutes this season. This shouldn’t be the case for the entire season.
But the priority remains to have Stephen Curry up and firing mainly for the postseason. With the Bay recently slipping in ranks, there is a chance that his work rate does see an uptick. Kerr might choose to play his talisman for longer durations until they attain some stability once again.
The Golden State Warriors remain in a precarious position, having lost nine of their last 11 contests. Hence, the urgency to win is high at the moment. With the West being as tightly packed as it is, each game holds great significance from this point on. Stephen Curry’s flourishing is arguably the key for the Warriors to thrive.
The question is just how much stress will his knees be able to endure if he does need to play greater minutes?
