Stephen Curry’s thumb injury scared Dubs fans out of their wits tonight! After all, no one is spry at 37 as they were in their prime. Well, unless you’re LeBron James. Nonetheless, following tonight’s game, Curry revealed the extent of the injury he suffered that caused him to return to the locker room for a while. He also informed us about an upcoming game that will be very crucial for his team.

Steph exited the game tonight after banging his thumb against the Portland Trail Blazers’ Justin Minaya. You see, Curry has dealt with thumb issues all season. So it was doubly concerning that he had to leave the game. But his return in the second quarter gave relief to Dubs fans everywhere, despite his awkwardly taped thumb. Later, during the post-game press conference, Steph told us when he’d be back for the Warriors.

“I’m feeling great, ready. Ready to play game 82 on Sunday,” said Curry. Then he told dived about the nature of his injury. “From what I know, it’s just a re-aggravation, same thing. Hopefully, it wasn’t anything serious,” said Steph. And when a reporter asked him if it compromised his shooting, Steph agreed. “It did a little bit just cause it was freshly wringing, new pain. But I don’t think it’ll last too long.” 

When another reporter tried to delve into more specifics, Steph joked, “I’m not really good with the anatomy, so. Just know it hurts right now, but I’ll be alright.” All in all, it was quite an optimistic update from the Warriors legend. Even though Steph claims he will be fine and will play on Sunday, that brings up a question.

Why is the Baby-Faced Assassin risking further injury to his thumb by playing on Sunday? Shouldn’t he be resting up for the postseason? Well, Steph Curry shared why he was taking the regular-season finale on Sunday against the Clippers so seriously.

Stephen Curry reveals how important the upcoming LA Clippers game really is to the Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are yet to clinch a playoff spot, even though they’re 6th in the Western Conference right now. This is precisely why, despite his injury, Stephen Curry will appear in the final regular-season game against the Clippers. He talked about this with ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. Here’s how the conversation went per Ohm.

“Asked what Sunday will be like, Stephen Curry said he didn’t want to be overdramatic but Warriors-Clippers game with everything that is on the line should be like a Game 7. Warriors win and they’re in a playoff series. Lose and it’s as Steph says, rolling the dice and in play in,” he wrote on X.

And Steph is bang-on with his assessment of the situation. The competition for the remaining playoff spots in the West is intense right now. After beating the Rockets soundly tonight, the Lakers (3rd) have grabbed theirs. The onus is now on Steph’s Warriors, the Denver Nuggets, the Clippers, and the Timberwolves. These teams have nearly identical records with a game remaining to decide their fate.

There are a lot of moving parts in this equation that we won’t get into, but here’s what you need to know. A loss for the Warriors will mean they’ll likely need to battle it out in the Play-In to get in the Playoffs. And if they take that route, their opponents in the first round will either be the surging OKC Thunder or the young but dangerous Houston Rockets. And a win might see them move into the Clippers’ spot as the 5th seed.

This will mean the Warriors will face the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the Playoffs. And even though they have the best player in the league, Nikola Jokic on their side, the Nuggets look more beatable than ever right now. Especially with the turmoil within the club after Michael Malone’s firing.

So, if the Warriors want to make things easier for themselves, everyone in the team will share Curry’s sentiment about the upcoming Clippers game. And if not, well, perhaps the Play-In will be the kick in the behind they need to get motivated, no?