SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors’ start to the season had been a dream.
Midway through the second half of their home opener, they experienced their worst nightmare.
Fighting through a screen late in the third quarter Sunday against the Clippers, Steph Curry appeared to roll his left ankle. He immediately hobbled to the Warriors’ bench, where he took a seat and received treatment before returning to the game at the 8:07 mark of the fourth quarter.
However, Curry lasted only 13 seconds and one offensive possession before appearing to aggravate the injury while setting a screen. He limped off the court with an even more noticeable gait than before and made a beeline for the tunnel to the locker room.
According to the Warriors, Curry suffered a left ankle sprain and was ruled out from returning.
Curry, 36, had 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting (4-for-7 from 3) in 27 minutes before leaving the game. Helping the Warriors outscore their first two opponents by an NBA record 77 points, Curry averaged 18.5 points in their two season-opening wins over the Blazers and Jazz.
Facing a step up in competition in their home opener, Curry was forced to watch the bulk of the fourth quarter against the Clippers from the locker room. He initially attempted to nurse his ankle on the bench but did not return after heading into the tunnel with 7:55 to go.
At that point, the Warriors faced a 10-point deficit, 95-85, and pulled within one, to 101-100, with 3:47 left but weren’t able to get any closer.
Curry’s ankles caused him problems early in his career, but he underwent corrective surgery and has been one of the league’s most durable and reliable superstars since entering the league in 2009. He has appeared in 959 of a possible 1,209 games.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
