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Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN writer
LOS ANGELES – The reeling Golden State Warriors will be without Stephen Curry on Friday and Gary Payton II for at least a week, the team said Thursday.
Curry, who continues to deal with bilateral knee soreness, will miss the first game of a back-to-back set when the Warriors visit the LA Clippers. Draymond Green is questionable for the game due to a left lower back bruise.
Payton, one of Golden State’s top defenders, underwent an MRI on Thursday that showed a mild strain in his left calf. He will be reevaluated in a week, the team said.
Coach Steve Kerr had said Curry, 36, could miss one of the team’s next two games to nurse his health after scoring 38 points in 36 minutes during a 115-113 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas night. . After their game against the Clippers, the Warriors host the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.
Curry has been dealing with bilateral knee pain and has said the medical staff initially considered occasionally suspending a game to prevent the problem from worsening. The Warriors have also talked about keeping minutes for Curry and Green down.
Payton first injured his left calf in a win at Minnesota on Nov. 21. He missed Monday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers, but returned to play in the loss to the Lakers before leaving for good with 9:27 left in the fourth quarter. He was seen limping off the floor before heading to the locker room.
The Warriors have lost 11 of their last 14 games since starting the season 12-3.
Kerr has tried a variety of lineups and rotations during the crisis. Now he’ll have to find a way to fill the void left by Curry’s 22.5 points per game when the Warriors face the Clippers.
Losing Payton for at least a week leaves Kerr without one of his best perimeter defenders and his most athletic guards. He averages 4.6 points in 13.1 minutes per game.
