GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS point guard Stephen Curry may be set for an extended spell out of action after suffering an ankle injury on Monday, which team-mate Klay Thompson described as “definitely not good”.
Curry scored 31 points with 11 assists and five rebounds, marking his fourth double-double of the season, as the Warriors won 125-115 at the New Orleans Pelicans.
However, he struggled to limp off the court with less than a minute left in the contest after turning his right ankle while attempting to steal a pass intended for E’Twaun Moore.
Steph Curry rolls his ankle pretty badly on this play. Was able to walk off floor on his own power. pic.twitter.com/WjTddeUIPF
— Warriors Talk (@JaeAzizi) December 5, 2017
“It’s not good,” Thompson told reporters. “Hopefully he’ll be all right in time.
“There’s no need to rush him back. But definitely not good.”
Warriors forward Kevin Durant echoed those sentiments, pointing out the importance of Curry returning to full fitness: “Hopefully he gets better quickly.
“But we also want him to take his time and make sure that thing is 100 per cent. It sucks man.”
Curry himself was more concerned about having to cancel a game of golf with his father, but is already looking ahead.
“Obviously a sucky situation,” Curry said. “But I’ll be back.”
Earlier, the reigning NBA champions had overturned a 69-49 half-time deficit to grab a victory which improved their record to 19-6.
It was the second time this season that the Warriors had come back from 20 points down or more to claim victory. No other team in modern NBA history has posted 20-point halftime comebacks in the same season.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr however was unimpressed that his team had once again been required to dig themselves out of a hole of their own making.
“It’s absolutely too much,” Kerr said. “We’re not composed out there. We’re a championship team. We’ve got to be poised and we’ve got to execute.
“We’re getting way too emotional, myself included. We’ve got to show some poise when things aren’t going our way and stop worrying about everything else and just worry about the game.”
That lack of composure was evident in an ugly confrontation between Warriors star Kevin Durant and Pelicans DeMarcus Cousins. Both players were ejected after facing off in the closing minutes of the game.
Durant, who scored 19 points, later reproached himself for his loss of control.
“I can’t get involved with that type of stuff,” Durant said. “I’ve just got to stay locked in and stay focused on the game.
“I’m not going to fight nobody. I don’t want to get injured. I don’t want to get suspended. I love to play. I love making money for my family, so I’m not trying to get suspended.”
Kyrie and Greek Freak shine
Elsewhere Monday, Kyrie Irving scored 32 points as the Boston Celtics overcame a 40-point performance from the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo to score a 111-100 win.
The Celtics, who also had 20 points from Al Horford, improved to 21-4. The Celtics have now won 11 of their last 12 home games.
Irving, who joined Boston from Cleveland earlier this year, paid tribute to his burgeoning understanding with Horford.
“When you’ve got guys who are willing to be as selfless as we are, then it makes everything in terms of our system work,” Irving said.
“Me and Al, we’re pretty selfless guys, but we understand when we’ve got to make our mark in the game and if we do that, whatever’s needed we do.”
Happy returns for Wade
In Chicago meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers notched a 12th straight win in a 113-91 blowout over the hapless Bulls.
Dwyane Wade and Kevin Love scored 24 points apiece while LeBron James added 23 as the Cavs improved to 17-7 in the Eastern Conference.
It was a satisfying return to Chicago for Wade, who played for the Bulls last year before joining Cleveland.
“I’m just in a good groove and I’m just taking my opportunities as they come,” Wade said.
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg meanwhile lamented a loss of concentration in the first half which allowed Cleveland to pull away.
“We had about a five-minute stretch in the first half when we just lost our minds,” Hoiberg said. “It’s those stretches that we have to find a way to eliminate. When we’re not making shots, we have to continue to guard.”
