Stephen Curry’s oblique injury has already changed the look of the Celtics’ upcoming schedule.
Curry has been scorching to open the year, putting up 27.8 points per game while shooting 45.7% from three-point range. That hot start, paired with a strong beginning from rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, has helped push the Warriors to an 8-4 record after a season many expected to go sideways.
But Curry left Golden State’s loss to Houston on Wednesday night with what was initially described as an abdominal injury. According to ESPN, he told coach Steve Kerr it was a feeling he had never felt before. The Warriors later clarified the issue on Thursday, announcing that it was an oblique tear.
Here is the team’s full statement:
“Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who exited last night's game at Houston with 6:25 remaining in the first quarter due to injury, underwent an MRI last night. The MRI confirmed that Curry has an oblique abdominal tear. He will be re-evaluated in two (2) weeks.”
That timeline matters for Boston because the Celtics’ first meeting with Golden State is coming up fast. The teams are set to play on Sunday the 22nd, just 11 days after Curry’s injury and three days before he is scheduled to be re-evaluated, which makes his availability for that game look extremely unlikely.
If Celtics fans want another shot at seeing Curry against Boston, they may have to wait until February 10, when the Warriors visit TD Garden. The only other path would be if Golden State somehow comes out of the West in the NBA Cup and ends up facing Boston. The Celtics are 2-0 in Cup play with a +53 point differential, putting them in strong position to reach the knockout rounds.
Boston, meanwhile, is in the middle of a demanding November stretch. The Celtics are getting three days off right now, a useful breather in a month that includes only four home games. Two of those are this weekend, against Dallas and Orlando, before the team heads out on a four-game road swing.
That trip begins in Denver on Wednesday the 18th and then runs through Sacramento and San Francisco before ending in Washington against the Wizards.
The Celtics are off to a 10-2 start, though only one of those wins has come against a team that had a winning record at the time: Philadelphia on Tuesday night. The schedule ahead should provide a better test, and Curry would have been a major one.
Even without him, Boston still has plenty of star power on the horizon. Cooper Flagg is set to come to town Sunday evening, and the Maine native is averaging 25.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists for the 7-4 Dallas Mavericks. Later this month, the Celtics will also see Nikola Jokic next week, then Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, before facing Flagg again on a back-to-back to close out the month.
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