Three of the NBA’s biggest names left games with injuries on Wednesday night. Luka Doncic rolled his ankle in the fourth quarter, Steph Curry exited after six minutes, and Austin Reaves limped off with a heel injury that will need more tests.
Curry left the Warriors’ 115-108 loss to the Houston Rockets in the first quarter with right abdominal soreness and did not return. He made a 3-pointer, his only basket of the game, grabbed his right side and walked to the locker room. Coach Steve Kerr said Curry had never felt the problem before and that the team sent him for an MRI. The Lakers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 123-112 for their seventh straight win, but Reaves left in the third quarter with a left heel injury and Doncic turned his right ankle late in the fourth.
For fans, the injuries raise immediate questions about two of the league’s top teams. Golden State has relied on Curry all season. He entered the night second in the NBA in scoring at 30.6 points per game and was the Warriors’ leading scorer in six of their eight wins. The Lakers have built a league-best 10-2 record behind Doncic, the NBA’s scoring leader at 39.3 points per game, and Reaves, whose heel will be imaged on Thursday.
What we know about each injury
Curry told Kerr he “tweaked something in his abdominal area” and said he had never done it before. The 38-year-old two-time MVP left the arena in the second half for an MRI, and the team had not received the results by the end of the game. Kerr said his “concern is high” but that he had no idea of the extent of the injury. The loss snapped Golden State’s eight-game winning streak, which followed an 0-3 start.
Reaves landed awkwardly after a missed fast-break dunk and later subbed himself out. X-rays on his heel were negative, and coach JJ Redick said the Lakers were not concerned about an Achilles injury. Reaves had 18 points, five assists and three steals in 25 minutes. Doncic rolled his right ankle when he landed on Kyle Kuzma’s foot after an and-one 3-pointer. He stayed down in pain, made the free throw and left for the locker room. Doncic said he was “good,” and Redick called it a “tweak.” Doncic finished with 32 points. Reserve guard Collin Sexton needed stitches above his right eye after bumping heads with Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins.
The Lakers do not play again until Sunday, on the road against the Phoenix Suns.
Will Steph Curry miss time with his abdominal injury?
The Warriors do not know yet. Curry left the arena for an MRI on Wednesday night, and Kerr said the team had not received the results. Kerr said his “concern is high” but that he had no idea of the extent of the injury. Curry has never felt the problem before, according to Kerr.
The Warriors and Lakers now wait on medical updates. Golden State faces the immediate question of life without its leading scorer, while Los Angeles has a few days before its next game. Check back for updates.
