Mission Improbable: Warriors' title defense in serious jeopardy

Share

OAKLAND – Championship Expected has, with one ugly slip, become Mission Improbable.

The jewelry that awaits at the conclusion of this most satisfying Warriors season – the most remarkable regular season in NBA history and one of the most amazing seasons in American professional sports – is in serious jeopardy because Stephen Curry sustained a non-contact injury when slipping on one small wet spot.

It was just the kind of thing general manager Bob Myers sees in his nightmares.

“I’m always bracing for that – always,” Myers told CSNBayArea.com on Monday. “Maybe it’s a bad way to live your life, but that’s sports. Ankle sprains, knee sprains . . . anything can derail your season. Anything can bring adversity. That’s part of it.”

Curry’s sprained MCL in his right knee, sustained Sunday when he slipped on the Toyota Center floor in Houston, will force him to miss the remainder of the first-round series against the Rockets and, if the Warriors advance, a significant portion of the conference semifinals.

[RELATED: Myers: Curry 'focused on getting back as soon as he can']

With a 3-1 series lead over Houston, the Warriors will advance, perhaps as soon as Wednesday, when the teams meet at Oracle Arena for Game 5.

Golden State Warriors

Find the latest Golden State Warriors news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.

What we learned as Steph sparks comeback win in Butler's debut

Watch Butler slam emphatic dunk for first Warriors bucket vs. Bulls

It’s the next round where this postseason suddenly turns mysterious for the Warriors. Missing Curry for one or two games is one thing. Missing him for four or five games is quite another. There’s no knowing how his teammates will respond.

“If (their impressive second half in Game 4 Sunday) was any answer, I think they will respond,” Myers said. “We understand who he is. We’re certainly aware of what he means. But he’s not playing right now. So the guys that can play have to bring it. I’m sure they will.”

Should the Warriors reach the conference semifinals, where they would face the winner of the Clippers-Blazers series, Curry won’t be able to play until the middle of the series at the soonest. He is scheduled for reevaluation in two weeks, May 9 or so, and it’s rare that an injured player can return a few days after being reevaluated.

The soonest Curry could reasonably be expected to return, then, would be late in the conference semis or sometime in the Western Conference Finals, which are scheduled to begin in the May 15-17 window.

The Warriors, at least mentally, must presume Curry’s absence. They can’t know their ceiling without him, but they absolutely realize the terrain they must navigate to reach the top suddenly is exponentially steeper and infinitely more hazardous.

The Warriors without Steph Curry are the Stones without Mick, the pizza without the toppings, the party without the music. Curry is the difference between the Warriors being elite and historically super-elite.

His absence wouldn’t mean they have no chance. It would mean they’d be underdogs, maybe in the conference semifinals but surely beyond that.

That’s the life they live today, so different than the magic glide they experienced in the regular season.

The Warriors still lust for a championship, only now they have to soldier on, at least for a couple weeks, without their best player, who led the league in scoring, is the reigning MVP – and the prohibitive favorite to win the award again when the results are announced early next month.

[RELATED: Curry sustains Grade 1 MCL in right knee]

Myers wouldn’t blame anyone for what happened to Curry. The GM didn’t cite Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas, whose sweat was on the floor because he had stumbled right before Curry slipped. He didn’t blame the Rockets or the floor. He didn’t bother cursing the fates.

This NBA Championship always was going to be earned, by whichever team won it. The Warriors were heavy favorites and they may regain that status.

That’s just it. The Warriors now have to regain what seemed almost destined. They’re a very good team without Curry. We don’t, however, know how good. We’re about to find out.

“I believe in our team,” Myers said. “I believe in our coaching staff. I wouldn’t count them out.

“But I’m not great at making predictions. I didn’t think we’d set the (all-time wins) record. I think I said it was going to be impossible.”

Capping this season with a championship is not impossible for the Warriors. But Curry’s uncertain status, even for a week or two, means they’d have to defy probability.

Contact Us