The revamped Golden State Warriors spent nearly every minute of Game 3 of the NBA Finals playing desperation catch-up, as their largest lead of a measly two points lasted just 49 seconds in a 116-100 road loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday at TD Garden. And the Warriors' vulnerabilities may be exposed even more in Game 4, considering their superstar playmaker is now limping.
Late in the fourth quarter, Stephen Curry injured his left foot when Celtics big Al Horford fell on him in a scramble for a loose ball. After whistles were blown, Curry remained on the floor, screaming and grimacing in pain, and he needed a minute to gather himself. Although he walked gingerly after the game, Curry told reporters his injury felt similar to the foot sprain he suffered in March, but less severe. Curry expects to play Game 4, but Golden State is biting its nails.
"There was no official injury report afterward. So, it was kind of up to Steph to give his own update," SI.com writer Howard Beck explained to the Reiter Than You show on Thursday. "Their other go-to line was, 'We'll just have to see how it responds and feels tomorrow,' meaning now, today. They're having practice in a couple of hours, maybe we'll find out more then. But, everybody who saw it on the broadcast, you couldn't help but feel like, that looked pretty bad.
"Draymond said he heard him scream in pain. You could see the grimacing on his face, and he was moving around a bit like he's in a real state of discomfort. The fact he was able to stay in seems like a promising sign, I guess. But, that could've also been adrenaline. The answer is, we don't know. And the follow-up to that is, if he's at all limited, I don't see how they win this series -- and if he's out for even one game, they might as well be cooked."
Curry, who recently won the inaugural Western Conference Finals MVP award, scored a team-high 31 points in Game 3, and is averaging 26.8 points with 5.8 assists, 4.9 boards, and 1.3 steals through 19 playoff games this season. He's also scored 78 three-pointers, and according to ESPN Stats, it's the fifth time in his career that he's made 70-plus threes in a single postseason. With three more Finals wins, Curry would be tied with 14 others as a four-time champion.
Golden State, which earned the West's third seed with a 53-29 record, will play Game 4 against Boston on Friday night, with tipoff scheduled for 9 ET. According to FiveThirtyEight projections, the Warriors currently have only a 13-percent chance to capture their fourth title since 2015. And if the Celtics hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy, it'll be their NBA-record 18th in team history.
The entire Finals conversation between Beck and Reiter can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Reiter Than You show on Twitter @sportsreiter and @CBSSportsRadio, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.