Stephen Curry suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his first game back from nursing an ankle injury that will sideline him through at least the first round of the playoffs. And head coach Steve Kerr doesn’t seem too concerned about it. custom nfl jerseys cheap
“Regular season or playoffs,” he said, per the Bay Area News Group’s Melissa Rohlin, “we can beat anybody in the league without Steph.”
Good point. Probably. Maybe. But what about beating a first-round opponent without Curry and another All-Star? Or two?customized nfl jerseys cheap
Golden State’s daily injury reports have recently read like a nightmare scenario come to life. Kevin Durant is recovering from a rib cartilage fracture. Draymond Green is on the shelf with a hip injury and illness; he’s now unlocked the “variety of issues” truancy designation.
Klay Thompson is expected to return from a broken right thumb at the beginning of April, but any sort of fracture on the shooting hand can hardly be considered an afterthought. Omri Casspi is coping with a sprained ankle. On the semi-bright side: Patrick McCaw is back from his broken wrist. Woo-hoo!
Maybe everyone not named Wardell will be ready to rock by the start of the postseason. That doesn’t entirely immunize the Warriors against concern. Their first-round opponent won’t be a pushover, and as Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey pointed out, they’re a net minus when playing without Curry against the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves.custom nfl jerseys
Potentially telltale still: Since Jan. 1, the Warriors are getting outscored by nearly two points per 100 possessions when Durant, Green and Thompson wage battle minus their megastar floor general.
That tide can easily turn. These three were a plus-6.5 per 100 possessions on their own beforehand, and Golden State’s playoff switch is real. Plus, this isn’t 2016. The Warriors have a workaround if Curry is less than himself upon return. His name is Kevin Durant.customized nfl jerseys
Except, what happens if he’s not right? What if Thompson’s form and accuracy is impacted ever so slightly by his thumb? What if Green’s hip problems flare up later on, or if his annual postseason shooting uptick breaks tradition?
The Warriors already face a genuine threat to their throne at full strength. nfl custom jerseys cheap The Rockets have earned that much respect. Facing off against them in the Western Conference Finals with their own nucleus compromised in any capacity opens the door for disaster. And that’s assuming a could-be shorthanded or could-be underperforming Warriors squad doesn’t get thrown by the surging Blazers, Kawhi-clad Spurs or forever-feisty Jazz before then.
