A lot of things went wrong for the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter of their 116-100 loss at the hands of the Celtics in Game 3, but the worst might have occurred with around four minutes left in the game.
After a mad scramble for a loose ball, the Celtics' Al Horford dove and landed on Stephen Curry's ankle, injuring the Warriors star in the process. Curry eventually walked off the floor, but the Warriors expressed some concern for him after the game.
Steph was in pain after this apparent leg injury.
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 9, 2022
Hope he's okay 🙏 pic.twitter.com/WKcBRE2A5q
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"The injury didn't force him out of the game, but I took him out down 14 with two minutes left because we weren't going to catch up," Steve Kerr said postgame. "We'll know more tomorrow." Kerr also stopped short of saying he wasn't concerned about Curry's injury.
Although the Warriors didn't say Horford's play was dirty, the Celtics felt the need to defend him after the game as social media users insinuated Horford was ankle-hunting on the Warriors star.
“It’s the Finals. You’ve got guys diving all over the place," Marcus Smart said to Chris Haynes. Their guys are diving into us. We don’t say nothing. We’re getting hurt as well, but we continue to play. Nothing is intentional. It’s the Finals. We’re trying to win just like them. First one to the ball, as we all know, wins. They can complain all they want. It is what it is. There’s nothing dirty about it. It’s fair game. It’s fair basketball. It’s Finals basketball. … Nobody is out here trying to hurt anybody.”
Horford himself downplayed the intent.
“It has nothing to do with Steph,” Horford said, per Haynes. “I saw the ball and tried to make a play. We’re trying to win a game. I don’t think there’s any [controversy] there.”
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While it's a bit uncharacteristic of NBA officiating to let that kind of scramble go on for that long. ultimately play was stopped when Draymond Green picked up his sixth foul after Smart came out of the pile with the ball. He heard Curry screaming in pain and wanted the play to stop.
“It is what it is. I’ll take the foul," Green said postgame. "I’m going to get him off his legs, though. It’s all good.”
According to Kerr, Curry will be reevaluated Thursday. Game 4 will be in Boston on Friday.
