Stephen Curry Ankle Injury: Warriors Without Star Guard Against Pelicans, But How Long Will He Be Out?

The New Orleans Pelicans will face the Golden State Warriors in the first of two back-to-back meetings on consecutive nights. Both teams come in with 2-1 records and looking to bounce back from losses, but the Warriors are at a disadvantage without Stephen Curry (ankle injury). The Warriors will be without Steph Curry at least for the next two games, both against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday and Wednesday at Chase Center. After that? It's unclear when the superstar point guard will return to the court. The Warriors on Monday announced Curry sustained a left peroneal strain in his ankle during Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Clippers and will miss both games against New Orleans before being re-evaluated Friday.

The Injury and Potential Return Timeline

The Warriors, in their initial update Monday, shared that Curry's MRI showed no structural damage, which certainly is good news. However, how long the injury sidelines him, though, remains to be seen. NBC Sports Bay Area recently spoke with Stanford Medicine orthopedic and sports medicine surgeon David E. Oji, who provided insight into Curry's peroneal injury, what it entails and how long the 36-year-old could be sidelined. "From a simple, kind of, mechanism that Steph essentially had, there's many structures that he could injure," Dr. Oji told NBC Sports Bay Area on Monday. "It's not just the typical ankle sprain that we all think of when people roll the ankle. There are tendons on the outside called the peroneal tendons that kind of allow you to move your foot to the outward position, called eversion. And you can actually strain those structures, or essentially pull it. You could even get little tears along the tendons. In some cases, that tendon is attached to the bone. You can actually break the bone directly off of the base as well, but many things can occur from a simple ankle sprain."

While the Warriors will re-evaluate Curry on Friday, that doesn't necessarily mean he will be cleared and available for Saturday's game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. As Dr. Oji points out, the injury -- depending on the severity -- could sideline Curry for at least a full week. "From my experience treating similar injuries .. if they have a very simple, kind of, strain to the tendon with no specific tears, it could be as simple as one-to-two weeks of heavy rehab and making sure they are comfortable, the mechanics are back and where they are supposed to be and the strength is 100 percent to get them back to play," Oji stated. "If there is a small tear or a more significant injury noted on imaging, then that can take a lot longer to heal and that could take up to several weeks and months."

Fortunately for Curry and the Warriors, the injury doesn't appear severe. After the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr provided an initial update on Curry, straight from the source. "He's doing OK," Kerr told reporters postgame. "... He used the word 'mild' or 'moderate'—he's obviously sprained that ankle many times before. He doesn't think it's too bad. But obviously, it's a concern."

Warriors-Pelicans Matchup

The Golden State Warriors will be without Steph Curry when they welcome the New Orleans Pelicans to town for a nationally televised game. Golden State is 2-1 this year with blowout wins over Utah (127-86) and Portland (140-104) but a loss at the Clippers (112-104) in the previous outing. With Curry out and Andrew Wiggins a game-time decision, Golden State finds themselves as home underdogs, which is not common. New Orleans is 2-1 through three games with a loss to Portland (125-103) in the previous outing. The Pelicans had a day off before the short road trip to Golden State. The Pelicans have had three different players lead the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists through three games.

The Warriors-Pelicans Game: Key Players to Watch

With Curry out, the Warriors will be looking for other players to step up. The following are key players to watch in the Warriors-Pelicans game:

Golden State Warriors

Jonathan Kuminga: With Curry out, Kuminga will need to provide offensive firepower. He has the potential to explode for big scoring numbers, particularly with Wiggins questionable.
Draymond Green: Green is a versatile player who can contribute in multiple ways. He will be key in facilitating the offense and providing leadership on the court.
Trayce Jackson-Davis: Jackson-Davis will be counted on to provide a strong inside presence. He can be a force on the boards and a reliable scorer in the paint.

New Orleans Pelicans

CJ McCollum: McCollum is a reliable scorer and playmaker who can take over games. He will be looking to lead the Pelicans offense and exploit the Warriors' weakness in the backcourt without Curry.
Brandon Ingram: Ingram is a skilled forward who can score from all three levels. He has the potential to be a major problem for the Warriors' defense.
Zion Williamson: Williamson is a dominant force in the paint. He can score at will and is a rebounding machine. He'll be looking to capitalize on the Warriors' lack of size and athleticism in the paint.

Predictions and Best Bets

Despite the absence of Stephen Curry, the Warriors are still a tough team to beat at home. However, the Pelicans have a strong offense and are playing well. The Warriors' lack of depth and uncertainty surrounding Andrew Wiggins' availability makes them vulnerable. The Pelicans are a good bet to win, but it will be a close game.

Expert Picks:

Spread: New Orleans Pelicans -1.5
Total: Over 217.5

Note: These predictions are based on current information and are subject to change.

Where to Watch and Stream the Game

You can catch the highly anticipated Warriors-Pelicans game tonight without cable by using services like Sling TV. Sling TV has a few different packages that make it easy to watch tonight’s Warriors vs. Pelicans game online. All of Sling’s offerings carry TNT to watch the NBA matchup, but the most affordable subscription tier is the Sling Orange option. It starts at $20 the first month, then goes up to $40. It comes with 35 channels, including ESPN, TNT, CNN, TBS, and ESPN2, to name a few. Want to also watch local networks like ABC, FOX, and NBC, Sling’s Blue subscription package also carries TNT and costs $22.50 the first month, then $45 after that. Put simply, Sling is one of the best services for watching NBA games online.

Game Details:

Date: Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Time: 10:00 PM ET
Site: Chase Center
City: San Francisco, California
TV/Streaming: TNT

The Latest Odds

[The latest odds as of Tuesday afternoon:

Moneyline: Golden State Warriors (+100), New Orleans Pelicans (-120)
Spread: New Orleans -1.5 (-110)
Total: 217.5](https://www.nbcsports.com/betting/nba/news/warriors-vs-pelican-predictions-odds-expert-picks-projected-starting-lineups-betting-trends-and-stats)

Final Thoughts

The Warriors will be looking to bounce back from their loss to the Clippers, but they will have to do it without their star point guard. The Pelicans are a tough matchup, and they will be looking to take advantage of the Warriors' weakened state. It will be a close game, but the Pelicans have the edge going into this one.

Enjoy the game! Be sure to check back for updates on Curry's injury and potential return date.