Stephen Curry Injury: Warriors Star To Miss Weeks After Apparent Shoulder Subluxation

JHM

John Hefferon MD

2 min read • December 15, 2022

Posted in

NBA
Stephen Curry Injury: Warriors Star To Miss Weeks After Apparent Shoulder Subluxation

Superstar point guard Stephen Curry appeared to suffer a left shoulder injury in the third quarter of the Warriors' loss to the Pacers on Wednesday night.

Video of the injury is consistent with a left shoulder subluxation, according to the Pro Basketball Docs. 

How long he misses will depend on Thursday's MRI findings and extent of swelling.

Positive news could see him return in time for the Christmas day matchup against the Grizzlies.

The worry for a subluxation – when the shoulder rapidly shifts out-and-in the joint – is two-fold: it can cause labral damage and the first subluxation often leads to recurring subluxations.

Thursday's MRI is to rule out a labral tear and the hope is this subluxation was the result of capsular laxity.

The 34-year-old suffered a minor left shoulder injury in November 2021 against the Hawks when he attempted a steal while navigating a screen mid-way through the first quarter.

He was able to stay in the game and finished with 50 points and didn't miss any time with the injury. 

Although he stayed in that game, there is valid suspicion that this is his second shoulder subluxation, according to the Pro Football Docs. The concern is with how easy his shoulder subluxed this time.

If these shoulder subluxations become recurrent, he will likely require surgery. The hope is that he and the Warriors can manage the issue until the offseason.

The shoulder ailment should not affect his shooting, but may have a minor affect on ball handling/passing. The biggest affect will be on defense and rebounding.

Curry had his left arm awkwardly tugged on by Jalen Smith when he reached in for an off-ball steal and his hand caught on the ball when Smith went up for a layup.

He left for the locker room and was ruled out shortly after and will undergo an MRI tomorrow to determine the severity of the injury and his recovery timeline. 

This season, Curry is shooting 43.2% from 3 and 49.7% from the field while averaging 29.6 points, 6.8 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game.

Golden State Warriors Finals Odds

The Warriors are +750 to repeat as Finals champs, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The Celtics are the favorites in the league at +340, followed by the Bucks at +480.

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