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[Saba Sports News] The Golden State Warriors have been one of the NBA’s hottest teams over the past month, but with Stephen Curry now sidelined, Jimmy Butler knows the margin for error just got a lot smaller.
The Warriors earned their 14th win in 16 games with a tight 117-114 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. However, the win came with a major concern—Curry exited in the third quarter after taking a hard fall.
While driving to the basket, he was bumped mid-air by a defender while delivering a pass, landing squarely on his back. He appeared to be in immediate discomfort, clutching his lower back as he walked to the locker room.
Golden State later ruled Curry out for the remainder of the game with a pelvic contusion. It’s especially troubling given that he had just missed Tuesday’s game against Milwaukee due to back soreness.
After the win, Butler addressed Curry’s injury, saying the team will need to raise its level of play if their star point guard is forced to miss time.
“That’s just more perfect basketball that we’re gonna have to play,” Butler said. “We can’t afford to turn the ball over. We can’t afford to foul, because we don’t have the one individual that can automatically get us back into the game.”
At 37, Curry remains one of the most dangerous players in the league, capable of turning the tide of a game in seconds. Without him, the Warriors are a very different team.
Curry had recently looked like his old self again physically, but Thursday’s injury raises fresh concerns. If he’s out for any stretch, Butler will likely be asked to take on a heavier load—and based on his comments, he’s embracing that challenge head-on.