Steph Curry's injury frustrations continue in Golden State Warriors return

Sam Amick, USA TODAY Sports Published 1:47 a.m. ET March 24, 2018 | Updated 1:48 a.m. ET March 24, 2018

The Golden State Warriors’ injury woes might have taken the most serious turn yet on Friday night, as two-time MVP Stephen Curry left the game against the Atlanta Hawks in the third quarter with a left knee strain.

According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the initial diagnosis indicates an MCL injury. An MRI is scheduled for Saturday to determine the severity of the injury. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

Curry and the Warriors have been down this road before, yet it’s certainly not one they cared to revisit.

On April 27, 2016, when the Warriors were playing Game 4 of a first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets with a 2-1 series lead, Curry suffered a Grade 1 MCL sprain of the right knee that ultimately cost him just four playoff games (and 15 days). Yet there was always a question of whether he returned to full health during that postseason, with the Warriors blowing that 3-1 Finals lead against Cleveland while Curry played some of his most inconsistent basketball down the stretch.

The following season, new addition Kevin Durant suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain on Feb. 28 in a game against the Washington Wizards and didn’t return until April 8 (missing 19 games in the process). In the end, he was healthy enough to earn Finals MVP honors as they downed the Cavs in five games. This time around, the Warriors (54-18) can only hope that Curry’s latest MCL injury isn’t that serious.

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This much is clear, though: With the top seed in the Western Conference already unofficially belonging to the Houston Rockets and a rash of other Warriors injuries to deal with as well, they’ll be taking the long view from here on out. The Rockets (58-14) have a four-game lead with just 10 games to go, not to mention the tiebreaker they earned by beating Golden State in two out of three tries.

And with an injury list like this, they’re in desperate need of some fast healing.

• Curry had missed his last six games with a right ankle injury before returning against the Hawks, with Warriors coach Steve Kerr telling reporters this week that the ankle wouldn’t be fully healthy until next season. Curry, whose chronic ankle problems and surgeries nearly derailed his NBA career in his early years, has sprained it four times since Dec. 4.

• Durant has missed the last four games with a rib injury, with no return date clear just yet.

• Four-time All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson has missed the last five games with a fractured right thumb, and is expected to miss approximately another week.

• Three-time All-Star Draymond Green missed Friday’s game against Atlanta with a pelvic contusion suffered on Monday against San Antonio, and is likely to return on Sunday against Utah at Oracle Arena.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick on Twitter @sam_amick.

March 23:Washington Wizards forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (12) knocks the ball away from Denver Nuggets forward Will Barton (5) as Washington Wizards guard Tomas Satoransky (31) looks on during the first half at Capital One Arena. The Nuggets won the game, 108-100. Brad Mills, USA TODAY Sports

Steph Curry's injury frustrations continue in Golden State Warriors return

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