NBA Injury Report: Steph Curry out, Draymond Green out and more updates on Chris Paul and Bradley Beal | December 7, 2022
Reigning NBA Finals MVP Steph Curry has been officially ruled out by the Golden State Warriors for tonight’s game against the Utah Jazz. Curry will be sidelined due to soreness in his left ankle.
The two-time NBA MVP played a team-high 38 minutes in their last game against the Indiana Pacers the other night. However, the usually deadly point guard struggled to make his shots, hitting just 3-17 from the field, including 2-10 from beyond the arc.
Curry probably felt some discomfort in that game, which contributed to his uncharacteristic shooting night. The NBA’s three-point king has been fairly healthy this season, missing just two of the Warriors’ 25 games. However, he has been shouldering a heavy load due to the team’s awful start to the season.
The seriousness of his injury will be somewhat determined if he sits out on Saturday when the Golden State Warriors meet the Boston Celtics.
Jordan Poole and Donte DiVincenzo should see their minutes go up as Curry is sidelined.
Meanwhile, Draymond Green will also be in street clothes tonight. He will be sidelined due to left hip tightness.
Like Curry, Green also played in the Warriors’ loss to the Indiana Pacers. The former NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner was on the court for 34 minutes. He finished with just two points but had nine rebounds, five assists, and two blocks.
The Golden State Warriors could struggle against the Utah Jazz as they don’t have two of their best and most experienced playmakers. Jordan Poole, who is expected to handle primary playmaking duties, isn’t yet on the same level as the two legends when it comes to quarterbacking the Warriors.
The defending NBA champs will also be playing minus Andrew Wiggins, forcing them to recall James Wiseman from the G-League. Kevon Looney will be the only one available from the Warriors’ starting front line versus the Jazz.
Jonathan Kuminga and JaMychal Green are expected to log more minutes due to the aforementioned injuries to the Warriors’ frontcourt.
Chris Paul: Right heel soreness; Injured since November 8, 2022
The Phoenix Suns have upgraded NBA All-Star Chris Paul to questionable for their game tonight against the Boston Celtics. “CP3” last played on November 8 versus the Philadelphia 76ers and saw action for only 14 minutes. He has now missed the last 14 games for the Suns.
Without Paul, Phoenix has managed to be competitive, going 9-5 during that stretch. They now have the best record in the West with a 16-8 card. The Suns will hope to have Paul against the Celtics, who own the best win-loss record in the NBA.
If Chris Paul remains sidelined, the Phoenix Suns will continue to count on Cam Payne, who has done a terrific job handling point guard duties. During those 14 games without Paul, he has averaged 15.1 points, 7.3 assists, and 3.0 rebounds. Payne’s 39.5% shooting from deep has helped ease the scoring burden on Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.
Bradley Beal: Right hamstring strain; Injured since December 5, 2022
On Monday, the Washington Wizards lost their best player to a hamstring injury against the LA Lakers. Beal played only three minutes and watched Anthony Davis destroy the Wizards. It was later revealed that he would be out for at least a week as he recovers from the injury.
The former NBA All-Star has already missed five games this season due to a quadriceps injury. He is going to miss more games as he will still be re-evaluated after a week.
Veteran Will Barton could start in Beal’s place tonight when the Wizards face the Chicago Bulls.