Warriors’ Stephen Curry hopes to be back for Game 1 of playoffs, says Marcus Smart ‘didn’t try to hurt me’

The Golden State Warriors suffered a major blow on Wednesday night when star guard Steph Curry left the team’s blowout loss to the Boston Celtics with a foot injury. While Curry does not have any significant structural damage, an MRI later revealed a sprained ligament that will keep him out for at least two weeks.

On Sunday, Curry addressed the media prior to the Warriors’ game against the San Antonio Spurs, and said he believes he’ll be ready for Game 1 of the playoffs, which are set to begin on April 16. 

“Yeah, I think I’ve got enough time for that, but I’m an optimist,” Curry said. 

Going into further detail, Curry said he is currently unable to do anything on his feet right now, but has been able to get in the weight room to keep his body active and break a sweat. For now he is wearing a walking boot but hopes to get back on the court by next week if things go well. 

“That two weeks is kind of marked to know how it’s healing,” Curry said. “From what I’m told just in terms of the ligaments around the injury and the bone that’s kind of underneath there, you want to not rush the beginning phases of healing. Because that’s where you get the most progress, so that when you do put the shoe back on, get back on the court, get reps you’re not dealing with crazy soreness or anything.”

Curry also addressed the controversy surrounding the play where he was hurt. Late in the first half, Celtics guard Marcus Smart dove for a loose ball and Curry’s foot got caught underneath his body. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was furious and even made a point to talk to Smart during the game. Some viewed it as a dirty play, but Curry disagreed. 

“He didn’t try to hurt me,” Curry said. “There’s a certain way that he plays that I don’t think many other people would have made the play that he did. But I don’t think it was malicious or dirty or trying to hurt me. It was kind of just a tough situation. Just the way he plays there’s a conversation of should he or shouldn’t he have, but it wasn’t like he looked at me and was like ‘I’m trying to hurt that dude.’ It’s basketball.”

The Warriors go as Curry goes, and their playoff hopes will depend on his ability to bounce back from this injury. It seems likely that he’ll be able to play in the first round, but whether he’ll be his usual self remains to be seen. So much of his success depends on his ability to make quick cuts with and without the ball, and that won’t be as easy after a foot injury — even a relatively minor one.