The Golden State Warriors saw their winning streak come to an end following Tuesday night’s 121-113 loss to the Orlando Magic. While roadblocks over the course of the regular season are inevitable, the Warriors may find themselves in a patch of trouble heading into their back-to-back matchup against the Miami Heat tonight.
Following Tuesday night’s result, the superstar pairing of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler both revealed that their status for the game against the Heat was uncertain. While speaking with ESPN’s Anthony Slater during his post-game availability, Curry began by addressing the illness that kept him sidelined for nearly a week.
“Still dealing with it a little bit,” he said. “I feel like myself, but I’ve still got a little bit of the symptoms. A little sore ankle a couple of games ago, a little bit tonight. But those are the things that you just try to play through and try to figure out how to continue to build momentum.”
Curry noted how challenging the schedule had been for the Warriors. While fielding a follow-up question about an ankle injury he sustained during the game against the Spurs, he provided an update on his status for the upcoming game.
“We’re just looking at how that responds,” he added. “Did it again in the first half tonight. I don’t think it’s anything crazy, but we’ll see how it responds on the flight and how I feel tomorrow.”
Along with Curry, Warriors forward Jimmy Butler also spoke about his availability tonight. He said, “Who knows?… We’ll see how we feel when we wake up. That’s how it goes.”
The pair of Butler and Curry has been vital for the Warriors’ success as of late. With the likelihood of at least one being sidelined for the game tonight, Golden State could be at risk of losing consecutive games for the third time this season.
Stephen Curry’s Immense Impact On The Warriors
Stephen Curry missed roughly three games early in November due to illness. In this span, the Golden State Warriors notched a 1-2 record. Although Curry’s long-awaited return was greeted by a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the following stretch of games saw the Warriors superstar play like a man possessed.
Stephen Curry singlehandedly dismantled the San Antonio Spurs in consecutive games, putting up 46 and 49 points, respectively, to lead his team to victory.
Although the 11-time All-Star struggled to get going from the floor against the Pelicans in the following game, he found his rhythm on Tuesday night against the Magic. Despite the loss, he posted a team-high 34 points, nine assists, three rebounds, and three steals on 12-for-23 shooting from the field.
Even at 37, Curry’s impact on the Warriors is undeniable. With averages of 27.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game on 46.4% shooting from the field and 38.9% from three-point, he remains one of the team’s best performers.
With a 9-7 record following their latest loss, Golden State places eighth in the Western Conference standings. Given the need to improve, the Warriors will hope to be at full strength for tonight’s game.
