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It was dead quiet in Chase Center when Stephen Curry fell hard onto his tailbone. The image of their leader visibly writhing in pain under the basket was the last thing the Golden State Warriors and the sold-out crowd needed to see, especially amidst a dangerous trap game with the Toronto Raptors and the tides turning against them in a tumultuous third quarter.
This moment felt like a tipping point, one leaning toward another bad Dubs loss, especially as Curry left the game and was later ruled out with a pelvic contusion. But instead of staying quiet in their seats, the crowd stood up and got loud. Instead of rolling over, Jimmy Butler sensed the moment and stepped in, leading the Warriors to a 117-114 win over the Raptors.
Butler finished the game with a 16-12-11 triple-double, capped off with a game-sealing block on Jamal Shead's layup attempt.
Draymond Green and strength in numbers
But it took a team effort to fight off a feisty Toronto team that shot 56.4% from the field.
Draymond Green turned back the clock and finished with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. It was a vintage performance for Green as he added to his impressive DPOY campaign with a stellar defensive play. In crunch time, Green sprinted 94 feet down the court to intercept a pass headed for a wide-open layup.
In his post-game interview with NBC Sports Bay Area, Green explained his thought process during that play
“I saw Agbaji take off and saw Shead look and he thought it was open,” Green said. “I didn't want to give myself up and let him know that I was getting back. So as soon as he threw [the pass] I sprinted a little bit faster and was able to get the steal.”
On the opposite end, the Dubs' young core picked up the offensive burden. Rookie center Quentin Post buried six triples for 18 points. Jonathan Kuminga rebounded from a tough night versus the Milwaukee Bucks, collecting 16 points. And in his second game back from injury, Brandin Podziemski added in 15 points himself, with three 3-pointers.
In the same post-game interview, Green was asked about his leadership and what he's saying to his teammates who haven't been in these kinds of situations before.
“I know what lies ahead so I'm just trying to be a little tougher on these guys over the course of these last 12-13 games so they know what's to come,” Green said. “We're going to need them coming down the stretch. It's the little things they have to understand. When you get into a playoff series the playoffs, you can't have small mistakes, you can't have gameplan-discipline mistakes. I'm on those guys because, in a few weeks, it's going to get really real.”
Stephen Curry's status moving forward
It's going to get real very fast with Curry out for the near future with his pelvic contusion. This injury is very familiar to Curry. In March of 2021, Curry fell tailbone-first on a metal step versus the Houston Rockets. The injury forced him to sit out the next five games.
There is no definitive timetable for a return to play as of right now. In his post-game press conference, Steve Kerr stated that Curry asked to check back into the game and was currently undergoing an MRI on his pelvis/tailbone at the time of his post-game press conference.
“He was trying to come back [in], he thought he might be able to come back,” Kerr said. “We decided not to risk anything. Hopefully, it's not anything too bad, he's getting imaging right now.”
A couple of games off for Curry isn't the end of the world. While he was up to 17 points before he left, Curry still looked a bit fatigued. A few games off might be better for Curry and the Dubs in the long run. It would give the two-time MVP the chance to regain his stamina in preparation for the arduous post-season run ahead of them.
Jimmy Butler's ‘I got you' to Draymond
Regardless, the Warriors embark on a six-game road trip. While they remain a game and a half ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers, that lead could be difficult to cling on to if Curry's injury matches the one in 2021.
But unlike that Warriors team, this one has Jimmy Butler. And he's vocal about backing up the Dubs.
After his game-sealing block, Butler immediately pointed to Green, telling him, “I got you.” He repeated those words as the two dapped each other up. It was as if to emphasize to Green, their teammates, Dub Nation, and maybe even Curry, all the way in the locker room, that Butler has their back.
In the same post-game interview Green was in awe of Butler's defensive awareness.
“[It's incredible] having someone that thinks the game like I do and then obviously having the ability that Jimmy does,” Green said passionately. “[After] coming up with that block at the end of the game, he pointed straight to me. He said, “I got you, I can do it too!” It's amazing having another guy like that to [the point] where you don't feel like you need to have to cover up everything. Lucky to have Jimmy here, he's helped take my game to another level and I'm excited about it.”
Butler is the Warriors' safety net. When they've needed him the most, he's been there to save them, exemplified by the fact he rotated from the weak-side help to block Shead's layup. The Dubs will need more of that with Curry's availability in question for the near future.
