After Steph Curry suffered a right ankle injury in the Warriors' 125-122 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday at Chase Center, the other two members of Golden State's Big Three remained upbeat while staring at the harsh reality of the team's leading scorer missing time.
Curry rolled his ankle late in the fourth quarter of Thursday's loss to the Bulls, limping off the court before going directly to the Warriors' locker room -- where he stayed for the remainder of the game.
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Following Thursday's defeat, Klay Thompson explained why Golden State's previous experience playing without Curry offers reason for optimism during a somber time.
"I know we're going to miss him if he does have time off," Thompson told reporters. "We've been in this position before where he does have time off and we just have to do it collectively. I know he'll be ready to go when he does come back whenever that is, we just want to wish him a speedy recovery and to take his time."
Thompson revealed that he hadn't spoken at length about the injury with Curry but remained steadfast in his belief the Warriors can weather the storm should their superstar point guard miss time while recovering from the ailment.
"Not really, but if he is out, unfortunate, but it's part of the length of the season," Thompson shared. "It's hard to play every game, especially not have any minor injuries. We'll do well without him, we can rely on our history and how to execute without him."
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Draymond Green echoed a similar message, staying positive while the basketball world awaits clarity regarding Curry's injury timetable.
"Spirits are high, we'll see," Green told reporters. "I think he may get an MRI, and hopefully it's good."
The Warriors finally appeared to be close to regaining a fully healthy squad before being delivered a gut punch with Curry's injury.
Thursday's loss dropped Golden State to 32-29 during the 2023-24 NBA season, leaving them percentage points ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for the Western Conference's final spot in the Play-In Tournament.
If Curry is going to miss games, the Warriors won't have time to weep over his absence. With 21 games left on the schedule, Golden State must find a way to grind out wins -- with or without the help of Curry.
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