NBA Insider Claims Stephen Curry Was Afraid as Concerning Visuals From MSG Appear After Fan Interaction

The Madison Square Garden has been a special place for Stephen Curry. The Warriors linchpin has enjoyed the atmosphere of the mecca of basketball since his days at Davidson. Curry also posted one of his most electrifying 50-point games at the Garden. So when he saw the Knicks on the calendar, the Baby Face Assassin was willing to put his health on the line just to enjoy another day at the MSG.

Anthony Slater revealed Curry rolled his ankle when facing the Charlotte Hornets and was “walking into the New York Hotel at 1:30 a.m. limping still”. However, the 36-year-old was equally determined. The chance to play the Knicks at the Garden only arrives once a season. So although there was a worry about possibly aggravating his ankle injury, the two-time MVP was willing to take a chance.

“I think if it wasn’t the Garden, if it was a more average team and not a spectacular stage, I think he doesn’t play,” Slater shared on Warriors Plus Minus. In spite of his longing to be part of the game though, it came to how his warm-up looked. Once Stephen Curry seemed comfortable following his breathtaking routine, the Warriors felt confident.

However, their decision to take a gamble and let Curry play against the Knicks nearly backfired. Curry rolled his ankle early in the game when his foot landed on a courtside fan. He still continued, running it off and reassuring the Warriors he was okay. But it did say something about his ankles.

“Yeah, it was a minor little one, but that usually shows you, and I mean, you know better than me, but that it is tender, right? If it can kind of tweak like that, it’s like, oh, he is kind of going through something with the ankle. It actually hurt. Cause you could see him like grimace. And then he was like, oh, okay, okay. This is not bad. I’m good. That tells you how delicate it was. You could tell like the fact that he stepped back there and it was like, uh-oh, it was on his mind,” Slater noted.

Although there was a moment of panic, it didn’t last long. After just an 8-point first half, Stephen Curry made the MSG his own playground. He finished the game with 28 secured a win for the Warriors and extended his record to 13-1 when playing at the Garden. As for the ankle, it’s always going to remain a worry.

Stephen Curry can’t be scared anymore

Early in his career, many felt Stephen Curry could never soar as high as he has. It all came back to his frequent ankle injuries. Sprains and rolling his ankles was a very common sight, costing him several games every season. The Chef has also undergone two ankle surgeries early in his career. The doors were practically shut on a long NBA career.

However, a little tweak in his everyday routine and having a relentless mindset changed it all. Stephen Curry is now playing in his 16th NBA season, still stunning fans and opponents with his insane shooting prowess. Still, at the back end of his career, Curry acknowledges that the risk of injuries is indeed higher.

But it’s also a mental barrier. He can’t let the looming fear prevent him from enjoying what he loves doing. “I still deal with all that stuff. Like you can’t escape it at this age but you just have a maintenance program on staff been awesome. God has been good to allow me to get through some early scares. Like I never took a day for granted,” said the Warriors ace.

As fluid as Stephen Curry continues to look, he has been hampered with a chronic knee injury that is said to be prevalent for the entire season. But he also knows his playing career isn’t going to last as long. So he wants to enjoy every game, every opportunity to perform for the fans. So a mild tweaked ankle wasn’t going to stop him from doing so at one of the biggest basketball arenas in the NBA.

The Warriors could still opt to give Curry some rest now that Jimmy Butler is on the roster. They have a relatively easy schedule with games against the Brooklyn Nets and Portland Trail Blazers over their next three games. As a precaution, Curry might take one of those games to recover his ankle.