Stephen Curry injury adds pressure as Warriors confront defensive crisis

Golden State’s play took different unwelcome crook connected Wednesday nighttime erstwhile Stephen Curry limped disconnected successful the last infinitesimal of a 104-100 nonaccomplishment to the Houston Rockets. The squad said helium suffered a close quad contusion, and helium volition acquisition an MRI to find the grade of the damage.

Coach Steve Kerr admitted helium braced for thing worse earlier proceeding the diagnosis. “When I heard it was a quad, I was really relieved,” Kerr said. “Better than an ankle oregon a knee.” Curry had battled done respective dense collisions successful the 4th quarter, including an effort to instrumentality a complaint connected Amen Thompson and a crashing layup that near him favoring his leg. By the last timeout with 35.2 seconds left, pb aesculapian decision-maker Rick Celebrini signaled that Curry was done for the night.

Warriors’ leaders telephone retired brushed defense

Kerr said losing Curry, adjacent for a abbreviated stretch, would person large consequences. “If Steph has to miss [time]? It evidently changes everything — our rotations, however we’re playing, who we are playing through. We’ll see.” The nonaccomplishment dropped the Warriors to 10-10 aft a promising 4-1 start, amplifying hostility already gathering successful the locker room.

Jimmy Butler III criticized the group’s effort and habits. “We don’t container out,” helium said. “We don’t spell with the scouting report. We fto anybody bash immoderate they privation — unfastened shots, get into the paint, escaped throws. It’s conscionable sad.”

Houston changeable lone 39-for-99 but grabbed 25 violative rebounds and outscored Golden State by 16 successful the 2nd half. Draymond Green did not mince words. “Our defence is s---,” helium said. Green argued the occupation goes beyond data. “It’s not needfully the numbers. How bash you consciousness erstwhile you retired there? It’s conscionable letdown aft letdown. It’s bigger than the numbers. Defense is astir demeanor.”

Green, responding to disapproval astir calling retired “individual agendas,” made it wide helium meant everyone. “We are individually — I cognize everyone likes to twist words — I said we are individually f---ing awful,” helium said.

Butler labeled the team’s attack “front-running.” He added: “When we’re not, erstwhile the game’s not going our way, we enactment our caput down and we mope and we don’t container out.”

Jonathan Kuminga hopes to instrumentality Saturday, but without Curry, Butler warned, “We’re going to person to beryllium damn adjacent cleanable [without Curry]. We aren’t going to person the eventual bailout connected our team.”