SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors approached the third game of the 2024-2025 NBA season knowing the competition would be much more challenging than the first two. What they didn’t know is whether they would make it.
They didn’t, and it’s getting worse.

The Warriors not only lost the game, 112-104, to the Los Angeles Clippers, but saw Stephen Curry limping off the floor after rolling his left ankle with 2:43 left in the third quarter.

Steph left the match after suffering an apparent ankle injury pic.twitter.com/eo1n9Wkx3E

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 28, 2024

After a quick trip to the locker room with the team’s medical specialist, Dr. Rick Celebrini, Curry returned in the fourth quarter but left for good 13 seconds later.

Steph appears to be aggravating his ankle injury and heads to the locker room pic.twitter.com/AllTixka32

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 28, 2024

“He’s doing well,” coach Steve Kerr said. ‘He used the word ‘mild’ or ‘moderate’. He’s clearly sprained that ankle before. He doesn’t mind it that much, but it is worrying.”

Steve Kerr provides an update on Steph Curry’s ankle injury pic.twitter.com/yD7IdOTIHE

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 28, 2024

No matter what Golden State’s roster looks like, any injury to Curry is a nightmare scenario. The majority of the team’s offense is designed to maximize his unique skills as a shooter, passer and constant-movement man. For years it was all about Steph.

With Curry likely to miss some time, the Warriors will see their depth tested here under the worst possible circumstances. Kerr must explore the contingencies, the first being who would replace Curry in the starting lineup?

Andrew Wiggins, who finished with a team-high 29 points, 11 of which came during a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback attempt, is first in line to carry a heavier scoring load.

“I don’t know,” Kerr said. “Wiggs is off to a great start and had a great night tonight. He is an obvious candidate to get the ball to more.”

The Warriors trailed by as many as 13 (with 7:35 to go), but pulled within one with 3:47 to go. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome previous self-paralyzing tendencies. They committed 21 turnovers, many of which were unforced, with LA scoring 21 points.

“They were great defensively,” Kerr said of the Clippers. “A lot of substitutions were forced. It really got to us and we didn’t handle the pressure very well. We turned it over far too often.

“We have to understand that most games are like that. They come down to a handful of possessions. And if you give away ten possessions, it becomes very difficult to win. And I thought we gave away ten possessions. away.”

The Clippers also exposed the Warriors’ lack of interior size, as 6-foot-1, 250-pound Ivica Zubac had his way in the paint, scoring 23 points, grabbing 18 rebounds and providing most of the power behind a 58- 38 in paint. points.

Zubac is one of the few inner beasts in the NBA, and the Warriors aren’t built to handle that kind of crowd. It’s something they’ll have to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

“Every time they needed a bucket, they seemed to get one from him,” Kerr said. “There are ways you can try to combat it. You can double team, you can try to deny him the ball in the post. But a lot of the things he got were loose balls, playing against (James) Harden and (Norman) Powell and just finishing.

It was also clear that Clippers coach Tyronn Lue was emphasizing defending Golden State’s sixth man, Buddy Hield, whose blistering start in the first two games has been the biggest source of offense. Hield faced several defenses and finished with eight points on 3-of-14 shooting, including 1-of-9 from distance.

If Curry misses significant time, the Warriors will need Hield to get closer to his previous form. They need Wiggins to continue his strong play. They need Jonathan Kuminga, who is averaging 8.0 points through the first three games, to get his production going again.

“We have a deep team,” Kerr said. “We talked about it. We have a lot of guys who can play, so we’re ready.”

In the meantime, they’re hoping they won’t have to wait long, if at all, for Curry to return.

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