Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry To Be Reevaluated In Two Weeks

Warriors star Stephen Curry, who was diagnosed earlier this month with a left shoulder subluxation, is “making good progress” in his recovery, the team announced today in a brief press release (Twitter link).

The Warriors declined to offer any specifics on Curry’s rehab process, simply stating that he’ll be reevaluated in two weeks.

That means the former MVP will remain sidelined through at least January 7, making him unavailable for the team’s next seven games. In all likelihood, Curry will miss more games beyond that, since he’s unlikely to be cleared to return immediately after being reevaluated.

The Warriors’ update doesn’t come as a surprise, since reports around the time of Curry’s diagnosis on December 15 suggested he was expected to remain on the shelf for at least three or four weeks and could potentially miss a month or more.

Golden State has struggled without Curry, dropping three of its last four games. All three of those losses were by double digits, including a 38-point shellacking in New York on Tuesday, followed by a 30-point blowout in Brooklyn on Wednesday. After three days off, the Warriors will be back in action on Christmas Day, hosting the ascendant Grizzlies.

Warriors Notes: Curry Injury, Wiggins, Wiseman

A left shoulder subluxation will sideline Warriors guard Stephen Curry for multiple weeks, but he’s relieved that it won’t require surgery, writes Kevin Cooney of The Associated Press. Curry, who suffered the injury on a collision Wednesday night, met with reporters before Friday’s game at Philadelphia.

“Knowing that it wasn’t going to need surgery or anything like that was great news,” he said. “Now, you just have to trust the process — no pun intended from where we are. We’re just trying to figure out how to get pain-free quickly, get your strength back and then work your way back into it appropriately.”

Curry underwent an MRI on Thursday that revealed the damage. The Warriors haven’t issued a timeline on a possible return, but the general feeling is that he might miss three to four weeks, which provides another obstacle as the defending champions try to climb above .500.

“It was what we were looking for and it really is the best-case scenario,” coach Steve Kerr said of the MRI results. “So now, we try to tread water and try to keep it together until he gets back.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

  • Pain control and resting the soft tissue around Curry’s shoulder will be the focus of the first stage of his recovery, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Nirav Pandya told C.J. Holmes of The San Francisco Chronicle. Curry’s pain levels will also determine if surgery might become necessary during the offseason or later in his career. “It’s hard to say just because this is the first time I’ve done it,” Curry responded when asked how much time he expects to miss. “A couple of guys I think had it, more severe cases, other timelines. You kind of do your guesswork. I’ve tried to stay away from it, even me mentally, trying to predict how long it’s going to be just because it’ll let me know.”
  • Andrew Wiggins will miss at least one more game with right adductor tightness, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. There had been hope that Wiggins might return Sunday at Toronto, but the team confirmed he’ll sit out his seventh straight game.
  • Kerr stated that center James Wiseman will remain with the Warriors through their current road trip, which wraps up Wednesday (video link from Slater). Wiseman played 11 minutes Friday night, his highest total in more than a month. “He’s gotten a lot better,” Kerr said. “He’s really picked up a lot over the last few weeks with all the practicing (with the G League affiliate) in Santa Cruz, and the game action, the reps.”

And-Ones: MVP Poll, 2023 Draft, Female Coaches, Wade

Celtics forward Jayson Tatum narrowly edged Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in the first edition of this season’s MVP straw poll conducted by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.

Tatum appeared on 98 of 100 ballots cast by media members, receiving 47 first-place votes in the process en route to 759 points, according to Bontemps. Antetokounmpo was on 93 of 100 ballots and received 36 first-place votes for a total of 687 points, the second-closest margin between first and second place since Bontemps began conducting the MVP polls in 2016/17.

Rounding out the top five were Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (392 points), Warriors guard Stephen Curry (250 points) and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (195 points). Antetokounmpo and Jokic each won back-to-back MVPs over the past four years, while Curry, who is out for multiple weeks with a shoulder injury, did the same from 2014-16. Tatum and Doncic would be first-time winners.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

  • Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated lists his early big board risers and fallers for the 2023 draft. Among Woo’s risers are Arkansas guard Anthony Black and Michigan guard Jett Howard, while Duke center Dereck Lively and Eastern Michigan forward Emoni Bates are among the players who have seen their stocks fall.
  • Commissioner Adam Silver says the NBA’s first female head coach is long overdue, per Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports. “I would be hugely disappointed if certainly in five years we haven’t seen our first female head coach in the NBA,” Silver said on a podcast with journalist Bonnie Bernstein. The NBA commissioner has long been a proponent of adding more female coaches to the league.
  • In a lengthy interview with Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, Jazz part owner and future Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade discussed Utah’s strong start, his departure from TNT, and several other topics. Wade says he’s thrilled with new head coach Will Hardy and thinks “the future looks bright,” adding that he loves watching the current group and the energy surrounding the team.

Pacific Notes: Wiggins, Curry, Warriors, Lakers, M. Brown, Clippers

Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, who has missed the last five games due to a right adductor strain, was cleared on Thursday to resume participating in practices and shootarounds, according to the team (Twitter link).

However, Wiggins will be unavailable for a sixth consecutive game when the Warriors visit Philadelphia on Friday and Draymond Green (right quad contusion) will be out as well, per the NBA’s latest official injury report. Klay Thompson is listed as questionable due to left knee soreness, so Golden State is at risk of being without four starters — Stephen Curry, of course, is expected to miss multiple weeks as a result of a shoulder injury.

As Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter video link) relays, Curry spoke to reporters today about his shoulder and expressed relief that he won’t have to undergo surgery, which might’ve forced him to miss several months. Asked if surgery is a possibility after the season, the Warriors star didn’t rule it out, but said that’s not the plan for now (Twitter links via Slater).

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

  • With several regulars battling injuries, the Warriors recalled center James Wiseman and rookie guard Ryan Rollins from the G League, the team announced on Thursday in a press release. Neither player has seen much action at the NBA level so far this season, with Wiseman appearing in just one game over the last month while Rollins has played only 43 total minutes since opening night.
  • The Lakers are unlikely to make a trade during the next two-to-four weeks, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports within his look at the team’s approach to the deadline. Although the club would like to get a deal done sooner rather than later, it makes sense for Los Angeles to wait out the market in case more sellers emerge.
  • Kings head coach Mike Brown has been fined $25K by the NBA for “aggressively pursuing and directing profane language” toward a referee, the league announced in a press release. The incident, which resulted in Brown’s ejection, occurred during the third quarter of Sacramento’s win in Toronto on Wednesday.
  • Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Reggie Jackson, and Luke Kennard were among the Clippers who missed Thursday’s game, but the team is optimistic they’ll all be back soon, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link), who says their absences on Thursday were more about managing prior injuries than dealing with new ones.

Stephen Curry Will Miss Multiple Weeks With Shoulder Injury

4:50pm: Curry has been officially diagnosed with a left shoulder subluxation, the Warriors announced (via Twitter). The team hasn’t provided an official return timeline yet, but Charania said on The Rally (Twitter video link) that Curry is not expected to need surgery and will likely miss around a month with the injury.

Anthony Slater of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that the “prevailing sense” is that Curry will miss around three-to-four weeks, noting that the Warriors play 10-to-12 games during that period of time.


4:00pm: Imaging has revealed that Curry suffered a labral left shoulder injury, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). Charania reveals that his status will be reassessed in two weeks.


2:51pm: Warriors All-NBA point guard Stephen Curry will be sidelined for at least a couple weeks with a left shoulder injury, sources inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Curry injured the shoulder against the Pacers on Wednesday during the third quarter of a 125-119 loss, and was set to undergo imaging on Thursday. The Warriors are in Philadelphia tonight ahead of a Friday matchup against the Sixers. Per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area (via Twitter), Curry will be getting an MRI today and the team is set to announce further information on the exact nature of the ailment by tomorrow morning.

Golden State, the defending league champion, has gotten off to a relatively lackluster 14-15 start thus far in 2022/23. Without its best player, the 2022 NBA Finals MVP, for multiple weeks, the team will need further offensive output from key backcourt players like Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole to stay afloat.

As Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer notes (via Twitter), the Warriors sport a stellar 118.9 offensive rating and a +7 net rating with Curry on the court, while those numbers fall to a 99.9 offensive rating and a -11.1 net rating without him. Six of the Warriors’ next 10 games come against teams with winning records, though a majority of them will be home matchups. Golden State boasts a 12-2 record at Chase Center, but of course most of those wins have come with a healthy Curry.

Stephen Curry Suffers Left Shoulder Injury

8:50pm: Head coach Steve Kerr told reporters, including ESPN’s Kendra Andrews (Twitter link), that Curry will undergo an MRI on Thursday. Kerr added that the veteran guard was “in good spirits” after the game.


8:16pm: Warriors star Stephen Curry suffered a left shoulder injury during Wednesday’s game in Indiana and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Curry went to the locker room late in the third quarter after trying to strip the ball away from Pacers big man Jalen Smith (Twitter video link via Warriors on NBC Sports Bay Area). Curry was carrying the team on his back prior to getting injured, recording 38 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block in 30 minutes.

As Slater notes (via Twitter), Golden State’s fourth quarter rally came up short. Having lost by a score of 125-119, the Warriors are now 14-15, including 2-13 on the road, and face the Sixers in Philadelphia on Friday.

The two-time MVP and reigning Finals MVP is having one of his finest seasons at 34 years old, averaging 29.6 points, a career-high 6.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.0 steal on .497/.432/.911 shooting through 25 games (34.6 minutes). If Curry misses additional time, look for players like Donte DiVincenzo and Moses Moody to receive more minutes, while Jordan Poole and Draymond Green handle added play-making responsibilities.

Warriors Notes: Lamb, Wiseman, Curry, Poole

Warriors two-way wing Anthony Lamb was named in a civil lawsuit filed this week against the University of Vermont, according to reports from The Athletic and ESPN’s Kendra Andrews.

Lamb isn’t named as a defendant in the lawsuit, which accuses the school of mishandling reports of sexual harassment and violence on campus. However, the suit does revisit a sexual assault allegation against Lamb related to a 2019 incident. The Warriors addressed that allegation when they signed Lamb in the fall and did so again on Thursday.

“Anthony is not a defendant in this recent lawsuit and, to our knowledge, he has never been charged with any wrongdoing in any legal case,” the team said in a statement. “Prior to signing Anthony in September, we did our due diligence with the NBA and his prior teams, as we do with all players. If any new information comes to light, we will certainly evaluate it and act accordingly.”

Lamb, who never faced any criminal charges as a result of the accusation, referred to the allegations as “patently false” and said he would welcome any investigation into the matter. His accuser stated in the lawsuit that she was dissuaded from seeking a formal investigation by Vermont’s athletic department.

Here’s more on the Warriors:

  • Third-year center James Wiseman was reassigned to the Santa Cruz Warriors following a brief return to the NBA, tweets Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Poole adds in a follow-up tweet that Wiseman figures to continue spending time in the G League until there’s a “broad belief” he’s ready to contribute at the NBA level.
  • Asked at the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year awards how much longer he expects to play in the NBA, Stephen Curry suggested that retirement isn’t something he’s thinking about yet. “I don’t see myself slowing down anytime soon,” he said (Twitter video link via Charlie Walter of KPIX 5).
  • In an in-depth feature, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports looks at how Jordan Poole, who signed a four-year extension in October, is preparing to help bridge the Warriors’ present to their future as the team’s stars exit their primes. “Steph’s doing a really good job of mentoring him,” Kerr said. “… There’s a lot of growth ahead for Jordan, which is exciting because he’s already very good.”

Warriors Notes: Wiseman, Wiggins, Kuminga, Curry

Warriors center James Wiseman is back in the NBA and is eager to show what he learned during nearly three weeks in the G League, writes Kendra Andrews of ESPN. With Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins all missing tonight’s game at Utah, the team recalled Wiseman to have another player available.

“[Santa Cruz] was fun,” he said. “I’m a hooper. I got to play 25, 28 minutes. That was love right there. I was going out there, working hard, just trying to get better, had so much fun out there. Probably too much fun.”

Playing time has been an issue for Wiseman, who hasn’t made it through a full season since high school, Andrews notes. His college career lasted just three games, he tore his meniscus as a rookie and sat out all of last season with a variety of setbacks.

Wiseman said he focused on “improving in the small areas” during his G League stint. He averaged 15.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.14 blocks with Santa Cruz, and now he wants to take advantage of his next opportunity with the Warriors.

“I’m so much more grateful, more appreciative of this moment now to be able to be back up here,” Wiseman said. “I’m just grateful to be back playing at this level, also, being in a small hotel room the last two weeks not doing nothing, I’m just grateful to be back up here in a big-a– hotel again, be in a great bed again.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

  • Wiggins’ adductor strain will keep him out at least through Saturday’s game with the Celtics, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. He will be reevaluated before the team leaves on a six-game road trip that starts Tuesday.
  • Jonathan Kuminga is becoming comfortable with the Warriors’ style of play and is the best bet among the team’s young players to earn a significant rotation role, observes Scott Ostler of The San Francisco Chronicle. “His defense has really been excellent,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s guarding some of the tougher players for the opposing team, whether it’s a point guard or a wing. He’s got size (6-foot-7). He’s smart, he’s really starting to figure out how to defend without fouling, and try to bother those ballhandlers. He’s earning minutes, for sure.”
  • Curry has been selected as Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year, per C.J. Holmes of The San Francisco Chronicle. Curry was recognized by the magazine in 2018 along with the rest of his teammates, but this is his first time winning the honor as an individual.

Western Notes: Wiseman, Conley, Gay, Garza, Davis, Ingram

The Warriors recalled James Wiseman from their G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, according to a press release tweeted by the team’s PR department. Wiseman averaged 15.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in seven starts with Santa Cruz. Wiseman struggled during his 11 NBA appearances this season before the team decided to give him a stint in the G League to boost his confidence. He had a minus-24.4 net rating in his 147 NBA minutes.

The No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, who was assigned to Santa Cruz in mid-November, could jump right back into the rotation. The Warriors won’t have three of their starters when they face Utah on Wednesday. Stephen Curry (left ankle soreness), Draymond Green (left hip tightness) and Andrew Wiggins (right adductor strain) are all listed as out, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. The defending champion are one game ab0ve .500.

We have more Western Conference news:

  • While the Warriors will be depleted, the Jazz could have their starting point guard back in action. Mike Conley is listed as questionable to play, Tony Jones of The Athletic tweets. Conley (knee) has not played since Nov. 19. Rudy Gay, who has been sidelined since Nov. 13 due to a hand injury, is not even on the injury report, so he should be available.
  • Second-year big man Luka Garza has been recalled from the Iowa Wolves by the Timberwolves, the team’s PR department tweets. Garza, who is on a two-way contract, leads the G League at 29.8 points per game. He racked up 44 points and 15 rebounds against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants on Monday.
  • Anthony Davis, who left the Lakers’ game on Tuesday early due to flu-like symptoms, has a non-COVID illness, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets. Davis battled a fever throughout the day but tried to play through it. No other players are currently sick, according to coach Darvin Ham.
  • Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram won’t play against Detroit on Wednesday, according to a team press release. Ingram will miss his fifth straight game due to a left great toe contusion.

Pacific Notes: Paul, Moody, Poole, Boston Jr.

Suns guard Chris Paul has missed 13 consecutive games due to a heel injury but insists he’s close to returning, he told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “It’s hard,” Paul said. “That’s my happy place is hooping, but I’ve sort of learned over the years that it’s a long game. Luckily we have enough depth on our team to where I shouldn’t be forced to come back until I’m ready.” Phoenix romped past San Antonio without Paul on Sunday.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • Warriors reserve guard Moses Moody said it’s been a little more challenging getting spotty minutes during his second season, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. “Last year, everything was new and I wasn’t positive about how prepared I was…Now I feel moreso that I know I’m ready,” he said. Stephen Curry said Moody has taken a positive approach to his situation, Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. “He comes with a great attitude just understanding the challenges of him getting in the rotation consistently and when it doesn’t happen, he stays positive, he stays engaged and then when he’s out there ready to go, he plays,” Curry said.
  • Warriors guard Jordan Poole isn’t sneaking up on anybody this season and Poole admits he’s adjusting to extra defensive attention, according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. “A lot of defenses are loaded, either sending a blitz and making me get off the ball or, it’s kind of like boxes and elbows,” said Poole, who signed a four-year extension prior to the season.
  • Guard Brandon Boston Jr. has posted back-to-back double-digit scoring outings for the Clippers as the 2021 second-rounder tries to establish himself in the league, Janis Carr of the Orange County Register writes. “I want those guys (Kawhi Leonard and Paul George) back, but I feel that everybody should be ready to step up,” Boston said. “I want to show that I belong up here (in the NBA) with the regular team and contribute for the team to win.”