October 19th 2024.
The Golden State Warriors had been eagerly anticipating their preseason finale against the Los Angeles Lakers as a final opportunity to fine-tune their game before the regular season opener next week. However, an unexpected injury to their star point guard, Steph Curry, forced them to alter their plans.
During practice on Thursday, 36-year-old Curry sprained his right index finger, according to head coach Steve Kerr. While the injury was not serious, it was enough to keep him out of the game.
Kerr assured reporters that the injury was just a precautionary measure and not a cause for concern. As a result of Curry's absence, the Warriors would be reducing the playing time of their key players. Kerr revealed that Draymond Green would only play in the first half, a decision made after Curry's injury.
The Lakers, who were playing their second preseason game in two nights, were also not treating Friday's match as a dress rehearsal. In fact, they chose to rest several key players including LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and D'Angelo Russell.
Kerr acknowledged that the Warriors had initially planned to treat this game as a dress rehearsal, but Curry's injury changed their approach. The team had hoped to see Curry play alongside the starting lineup one last time, but they would now have to settle for just one game of tape on that combination.
Curry had previously injured his right index finger in a preseason game against the Sacramento Kings and had to sit out the remainder of the game. However, he returned after missing one game and had a strong performance against the Lakers in Las Vegas, scoring 16 points and dishing out six assists.
Throughout the preseason, Curry has been averaging 11 points in 18.3 minutes per game, shooting 28% from behind the 3-point line. In Friday's game, De'Anthony Melton stepped in to replace Curry in the starting lineup, joining Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green, and Trayce Jackson-Davis.
Kerr also mentioned that the team has yet to finalize their starting lineup for the season opener. He had hoped to see Curry play with the starting unit one more time, but they will have to make do with the limited game tape they have.
The preseason has been a time for experimentation and lineup adjustments for Kerr and the Warriors. With the addition of three new veterans, the team has been working on incorporating a faster pace, more 3-pointers, and a stronger defensive presence.
Despite the challenges, the Warriors have had a successful preseason, winning all five of their games and remaining the only undefeated team in the league. Kerr expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance so far, but acknowledged that they still have a lot of work ahead of them.
As they prepare for the regular season, the Warriors will continue to fine-tune their game and work towards their goal of a successful season.
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