According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Steph Curry suffered a foot ligament injury in Wednesday night’s 110-88 loss to the Boston Celtics. Curry’s left foot was injured in the second quarter when Marcus Smart dove for a loose ball. Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Curry is expected to miss the final 12 games of the regular season.
The Warriors have suffered another big blow with the regular-season finale approaching on April 10. The trio of Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson only played together for five quarters before Steph’s latest setback. Green returned Monday following a two-month layoff, which proceeded a two-year hiatus from Thompson.
"It sucks," Green said Wednesday night of Curry's injury. "But sometimes that's just how the cookie crumbles. We gotta figure it out and deal with it. But, boy, it's rough. It sucks for sure."
Shortly after Curry hobbled his way to the locker room, Warriors coach Steve Kerr had to be held back by his assistants after chirping with Smart across the floor. It didn’t help that Smart also nearly kicked Thompson trying to block a transition bucket a few seconds after rolling up Curry.
After the game, as Curry underwent an MRI to determine the severity of the injury, Kerr and Smart talked again to smooth things over. Kerr coached Smart as part of his Team USA duties, so they had a previous rapport. Smart is known for being an all-out defender, but Kerr still thought the play could have been avoided.
“I thought it was a dangerous play,” Kerr said. “I thought Marcus dove into Steph’s knee and that’s what I was upset about. A lot of respect for Marcus, he’s a hell of a player. Gamer, competitor. I coached him in the World Cup a few summers ago. We talked after the game. We’re good but I thought I was a dangerous play and let him know.”
Smart addressed the Kerr situation with reporters after the game as well.
“He’s doing what any coach, any player, any person would do and that’s backing up his guys,” Smart said. “We talked it out. At the end of the conversation, he told me, ‘You’re one of the guys I wish I had on my team,’ type [of thing]. Me and Steve have that relationship through USA basketball, so he knows I’m not trying to hurt anybody. He knows that since I got in this league, I’ve been sacrificing my body for the better of my team.”
Smart said he didn’t see Steph once he dove for the loose ball and that there was no malicious intent, saying it was merely the result of a hustle play.
“Hate to see any injury,” Smart said. “I hope Steph’s all right. … I’m really down right now about it.”
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For what it’s worth, Green also said he didn’t think it was a dirty play.
“At every level of basketball, we’re taught to dive on the floor and go after the ball,” Green said. “That’s what Marcus did, so I can’t call it a dirty play. I will say it was probably an unnecessary dive.”
Curry leads the Warriors with his 25.4 points per game and is still the engine of the offense as one of the game's most exciting players. Smart has a reputation for being an aggressive player but said he’s not a dirty one.
“I could really care less about that,” Smart said. “I know who I am. My teammates, my players and my colleagues know who I am. They know I’m not a dirty player. They know I’m going to go out there and leave everything I have on the floor for my team. Imma hustle. Unfortunately, when you’re doing that in basketball or any sport or anything, an injury happens. That’s just what it is. I’m sure I’m going to get called dirty, but that’s their opinion. I know who I am and my teammates know.”
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