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Kendra AndrewsESPN
BOSTON — There used to be so much for the Golden State Warriors to digest following their 116-100 loss to the Celtics on Wednesday evening in Sport 3 of the NBA Finals. However at the most sensible in their minds after falling in the back of 2-1 within the sequence used to be the standing in their celebrity, Stephen Curry.
With 4:16 left within the recreation and the Warriors down by means of 12, Curry dove to the ground to take a look at to protected a free ball. He used to be met by means of Boston’s Al Horford, and because the two struggled to protected the ownership, Horford rolled on most sensible of Curry’s left leg.
Curry remained at the ground for a couple of mins, writhing in ache.
“I noticed him getting dove on,” Warriors ahead Draymond Inexperienced stated. “So I picked up my foul pushing other folks off him as a result of he’s screaming on the backside of the pile.”
Curry got here up with a noticeable limp.
“Clearly, in some ache, however I’ll be all proper,” Curry stated. “We’ll see the way it responds. Now not a lot different to mention. I don’t really feel like I’ll leave out a recreation. Profit from those subsequent 48 hours to get able.”
As Curry entered and exited the scoop convention room after the sport, he walked gingerly, seeking to steer clear of striking any actual power on his left foot.
Curry stated the damage felt with regards to what he suffered towards the visiting Celtics in March, when he sprained his foot on a equivalent play involving Marcus Good. That play ended in Curry straining his left foot — the similar foot affected in Sport 3 — and lacking the remaining month of the common season. Wednesday’s damage, Curry stated, felt much less serious.
“[Horford is] a large frame, clearly,” Curry stated. “I haven’t noticed the play, so I don’t know if it might had been have shyed away from or now not. I used to be in that state of affairs with Marcus again within the Bay, and also you simply need to get your foot out of there. That’s all I used to be seeking to do at that time, realizing the location I used to be in. Like I stated, for what I believe like, it’s now not as unhealthy. So with a bit of luck, it responds neatly over the following two days.”
“We’ll know extra the next day,” Warriors trainer Steve Kerr stated with a stern tone.
Dropping Curry, even for only one recreation, could be adverse to the Warriors’ name hopes. Even a banged-up Curry wouldn’t bode neatly for Golden State.
In the course of the first 3 video games, Curry has been the Warriors’ very best participant and the one supply of consistency. In Sport 3, he scored 31 issues on 12-of-22 taking pictures, together with six 3-pointers. He in spite of everything were given some lend a hand from Splash Brother Klay Thompson, who completed with 25 issues, however that used to be in change for a in large part absent Inexperienced.
Inexperienced scored simply two issues and failed to supply any have an effect on on protection. He didn’t give the extent of center of attention or depth he had supplied the Warriors prior to now on this sequence. And he fouled out when he went to Curry’s support within the past due scrum.
“I used to be s—,” Inexperienced stated, his son by means of his facet as he took questions from the media. Afterward, he referred to as himself “comfortable.”
Inexperienced’s efficiency didn’t forestall Celtics lovers from dropping rain “F— you, Draymond” chants persistently all the way through the evening.
“We’ve performed in entrance of impolite other folks earlier than,” Thompson stated. “Shedding F-bombs with kids within the crowd. Actual stylish. Excellent task, Boston.”
Golden State guard Jordan Poole contributed 10 issues on 4-of-8 taking pictures however persevered to battle to discover a significant option to have an effect on his group.
Boston made Curry paintings for each and every shot he took, smothering him on protection all evening. The Celtics held Curry to making an attempt simply two performs in transition after averaging 5 such performs in line with recreation within the first two video games.
Additionally they compelled Curry out of the paint, as he shot simply 3 box objective makes an attempt from inside 9 toes of the basket. (He mixed for 12 such makes an attempt in Video games 1 and a couple of.)
“Their workforce and the way in which that they protect, they’re very bodily,” Curry stated. “They’ve some way of, clearly with Marcus at the ball, he’s beautiful competitive, and Robert [Williams III] in the back of the play, they in most cases have lot of duration and dimension at the wings.”
As a result of he couldn’t force to the rim and create touch, Curry tried only one unfastened throw — a flagrant foul 1 penalty shot within the 3rd quarter after it used to be deemed Horford didn’t give Curry sufficient touchdown room on his made 3-point shot.
“I don’t know why there’s just one unfastened throw,” Curry stated. “Felt like there’s a pair possessions or performs that can have long gone my means.”
The remaining time Curry had only one unfastened throw strive in a playoff recreation used to be in 2018.
“It’s exhausting to grasp the glide of the sport in response to one of the most calls that went my means the place I’ve 4 and also you’re having to protect a definite means as a result of you need to stick at the ground and now not permit that to have an effect on the sport,” Curry stated. “However you understand, you’ve nonetheless were given to give you the option to be efficient regardless of how the sport’s being referred to as, and it’s a excellent lesson to be informed for the following recreation.”
The Warriors’ loss wasn’t as a result of the unfastened throw disparity. (Boston shot 24 to Golden State’s 15.) But it surely did must with the extent of physicality the Celtics performed with.
Boston outrebounded Golden State 47-31, together with 15-6 on offensive forums. The Celtics additionally outscored the Warriors within the paint 52-26.
“That used to be actually the primary factor — the point-of-attack protection,” Kerr stated. “They were given previous us. It wasn’t in response to any units they had been operating. It used to be extra simply they had been coming downhill at us, and so they were given previous us, and that harm us.”
The Warriors trailed by means of as many as 18 issues within the first part. However simply as they have got each and every recreation this sequence, they performed an incredible 3rd quarter, even taking a lead in a while after a seven-point ownership past due within the duration. However they weren’t in a position to maintain it within the fourth, resulting in the Celtics last out the sport.
The Warriors know they wish to give you the option to play extra persistently all the way through all 48 mins. They know they wish to carry the pressure that they discovered within the Sport 2 victory. They know they wish to get extra contributions down the rotation.
However all of them know that none of this will likely in reality topic if Curry isn’t to be had.
“We want him if we need to win this factor,” Thompson stated. “I do know Steph goes to do the whole lot he can in his energy to play. I’m actually hoping he’s OK as a result of he’s our identification, and with out him, it’ll be very tough.”