Steph Curry is set to play Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena, even after the Golden State Warriors classified his recent practice injury as a sprained right ankle. Talk about dodging a bullet, right? The NBA season is literally about to tip off, and the last thing anyone needed was more injury drama around their superstar.
The Scare That Silenced Chase Center
Dude, you gotta understand how everybody’s hearts just about stopped on Sunday. During the Warriors’ open practice at Chase Center, Curry planted his right leg trying to make a play, then quickly limped off the court looking like he was in visible pain. Videos of that moment went absolutely viral on social media, with NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Dalton Johnson sharing the clip of Curry heading straight to the locker room. Imagine the Chase Center, packed for open practice, then total silence as their guy hobbles away. Warriors forward Gui Santos didn’t mince words, saying the whole team felt “scared” when Curry limped off. He did add that Curry is tough and how he walked suggested nothing really bad was happening. Still, a scare is a scare, especially with the season starting.
Warriors coaches and staff swarmed him after he left the court. Coach Steve Kerr later told reporters Curry had hurt his right ankle but insisted the star guard was “fine.” Curry was making a move against De’Anthony Melton when he appeared to lose his footing, then he bounced the basketball hard twice in frustration before favoring that right leg and limping off. Here’s the thing, Golden State was already managing Curry super carefully, reducing his practice workload and limiting preseason minutes. Why? To keep the 38-year-old healthy through his 18th season. So yeah, even a minor tweak like this sends chills down your spine. Kerr himself admitted his “heart skipped a beat” when asked about the incident. “Always, always,” he said. Curry didn’t return to the scrimmage, and the stunned gasps from the fans said it all.
Cleared, But the Shadows Linger
But then Monday brought some massive relief across the Bay Area and the wider basketball world. Kerr announced Curry will indeed play Wednesday against the Lakers. He’s still got that sprained right ankle, sure, but he was a full participant in Monday’s practice. Good news, right? The Warriors absolutely needed it.
Yet, there’s always that nagging worry, right? This isn’t just some rookie twisting an ankle. Curry’s 38, stepping into his 18th season. He missed over two months last season with a runner’s knee, so any minor ankle scare draws a ton of attention. Plus, get this: a study in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine actually found that a whopping 52.9% of players who suffer ankle sprains report a *previous* ankle sprain. And they identified ankle sprains as the most common acute injury in basketball. So while we’re all pumped Curry’s playing, that history and those numbers just make you hold your breath a little longer.
So yeah, Curry’s back on the court for Wednesday’s opener against the Lakers. He’s gotta navigate a long season, and for a guy with his mileage, every little tweak feels bigger. Everyone will be watching to see how that ankle holds up, because they’re gonna need him healthy for the long haul.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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