After losing to a dagger three by their former teammate Harrison Barnes, Stephen Curry and Co. took care of business on Friday. They decimated a shorthanded Blazers squad, holding on to that sixth seed in the West. Now, Sunday’s Clippers clash will likely decide the Warriors’ ultimate fate. But the big question is – Will Steph be a 100% for the crucial game after Friday’s injury scare?
During the latest episode of Warriors Plus Minus podcast, veteran insiders Tim Kawakami, Anthony Slater, and Marcus Thompson dove into the unfortunate incident. Well, Steph was forced to leave the game in the first quarter after jamming his right thumb on Justin Minaya’s knee. Although he returned midway during the second quarter, the sore thumb was clearly bothering him, as he finished with only 14 points on 6 of 14 shooting. One of the national reporters revealed his initial thoughts about Curry’s injury, “I thought that looked bad. He’s shaking his hand and his arm.”
His colleague added, “He was in the locker room for a while. He got X-rays back there. They were negative. He’s had a thumb issue a lot this year… He had it wrapped. But he didn’t seem too worried about it. Although he was icing it postgame. He left the arena with ice.” Yes, Steph had his thumb wrapped when he returned to the court. And he also admitted that the injury impacted his shot, “It did a little bit just because it was freshly ringing new pain but I don’t think it will last too long… I know it hurts right now but I’ll be alright.” Steph also revealed that he was “feeling great” and ready for game 82 of the regular season.
Following Steph’s comments, the insiders are also optimistic about the Warriors star playing through the pain against the Clippers, “This is a little ankly type. You are looking up every single time if he’s shaking that hand or not. He was shaking it. He certainly was bothered by it… It’s gonna be a thing. I’m sure Celebrini’s got some magic potion for that right? Steph will gut through it.” As of now, Steph is listed as questionable on the injury report for Sunday. Even if he suits up, the Warriors need other players to step up so that the burden doesn’t solely fall on the Baby-Faced Assassin.
Veteran insiders call out Jimmy Butler’s lack of “desire” amid Warriors’ concerning problem
Despite being battered and bruised, Steph is doing everything he can to lead his team to the playoffs. But that could be problematic going forward. During the podcast, the analysts also discussed how the Warriors’ offense has struggled in recent games, highlighting a major flaw, “These dudes just can’t beat anybody off the dribble like they just can’t do it. It’s a big deal. And when they do beat them, they aren’t even really looking forward to attack the rim.”
Feb 25, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) dribbles against the Charlotte Hornets in the second quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Yes, the Bay Area team might be relying too much on their perimeter shooting, which has not been consistent this year. As expected, it’s putting more pressure on Steph, “There was one play tonight where Jimmy was wide open, he’s gotta dunk and he literally does not look at the rim. That’s just problematic against aggressive pressing defense. You just have to be able to take your man off dribble. Kuminga’s not doing it. Podz is doing a little bit. But they are completely relying on Steph’s dribble penetration.”
Is there a solution? Well, Jimmy Butler could be one – only if he decides to be more aggressive. The insider added, “Jimmy is the only other person who I think can do it at will. Say ‘I’m getting to the rim.’ But he hasn’t had a desire to do it… It’s bad. They desperately need that.” Well, Butler is averaging 17.5 points since moving to the Bay Area. Moreover, he has shown glimpses of interior dominance, averaging 7.7 free throw attempts per game. Now, he needs to be more aggressive against the Clippers and take some load off Steph’s shoulders so that his injury is not reaggravated. Do you think the Warriors can fix the issue and finish the season with a win?
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