About 10 minutes after the game ended, Denver forward Kenneth Faried was in a neck brace and strapped to a stretcher as he was wheeled off the court. With Andrew Bogut fouling out, the Warriors bench was limited to just 2 players.
Advertisement
That means Darrell Arthur, who’s coming off a productive game against the Warriors – where he scored 12 points on just nine shots and recored a +12 in 17:28 of playing time – may get the starting nod.
On Thursday, Green led Golden State to a 114-110 win at Houston, dishing out a career-high 16 assists.
Barton dunked with 34.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter and with 0.9 on the clock as the Nuggets rallied to force OT.
“Obviously any time you’re dealing with a neck or back, it’s scary”, Nuggets point guard Jameer Nelson said.
Curry shot just 2-for-6, missing four of his five 3-point attempts, during a five-point, four-assist first half. He did not return to the floor in the second half. And though achieving a feat of that caliber may seem relevant, rushing Curry back and risking his health will most likely kill their chances of the ultimate goal in becoming back to back National Basketball Association champs. They needed the lift, what with two fresh injuries added to an already long list.
Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, James Michael McAdoo, Brandon Rush, Leandro Barbosa and Kevon Looney weren’t available Saturday night. That doesn’t count the 15th man, first-round draft pick Kevon Looney, who has missed the entire season after hip surgery.
Warriors interim coach Luke Walton indicated Saturday that he and his coaching staff would keep a close eye on Curry.
“He told me this morning, ‘I’m not going to be coaching tonight, ‘ ” Walton said. He looked good on the trip. So here’s to hoping that Curry can get (and stay) healthy for the rest of the season, particularly in the playoffs. That’s not to take away from Green’s night, which was one for the ages and easily the most electric of this season with 27 points, 11 assists and 15 rebounds. “We just stuck together”.
“He was in good spirits and joking”, he said. “It’s great to have him back”.
Denver drew first blood taking their first lead of the game in overtime. And as the Nuggets became more physical, Golden State couldn’t move the ball well enough to avoid turning it over. And when Draymond Green – or occasionally Stephen Curry – muscles his way inside, we’ll get a power flex.
This story will be updated with quotes and post-game material from the Warriors locker room at Oracle Arena. He was removed from the game Saturday shortly before halftime and didn’t return after getting kicked in the same area that caused him to miss two games last week. But I’d also attribute the positive air hanging over the Warriors’ performance to how they once again found a way to prevail without Curry to play the hero. “It’s up to the player and the medical staff”.
Advertisement
Curry said after the game he was feeling OK and that the injury wasn’t as bad as the first one he suffered.
