Stephen Curry Reflects on Worst Shooting Half of Career Despite Thumb Injury

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has opened up about his recent shooting struggles, acknowledging that although his injured right thumb caused him some discomfort, it wasn’t the reason behind his poor performance in the second half of Saturday’s 118-108 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Curry missed all eight of his second-half shots, finishing the game with 13 points and nine assists on 4-for-17 shooting, including 2-for-9 from beyond the arc.

While Curry’s thumb injury has been a lingering issue, he refused to use it as an excuse. “It sucks, but it’s not an excuse for anything,” Curry said. “I’ve played through it before, like when I went 8-for-8 against the 76ers. It’s just something that gets hit every now and then. It’s almost gone, then it gets knocked again. I’ll deal with it, but it shouldn’t affect me like it did tonight.”

Curry has been battling the thumb injury alongside knee pain, which the Warriors have been managing carefully. Despite these challenges, Curry feels his knees are improving. “It’s trending in the right direction,” he said. “I just have to keep up with the maintenance. If it keeps responding well, I’m happy with how things are going.”

Although Curry has had some standout performances despite the thumb injury—like his perfect 8-for-8 from three against the Sixers—he’s also been seen shaking his hand after getting it hit during games. On Saturday, the Lakers’ defence was also a factor, with Curry failing to score in the second half and struggling against contested shots. “A lot of that was on us—our guards constantly getting into the ball and making it tough on him,” said Lakers centre Anthony Davis, who had 36 points and 13 rebounds in the game.

With the Warriors playing a stretch of home games, Curry knows the team is at a crucial point in the season. “This stretch could make or break us,” he said, as the Warriors try to recover without injured stars Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga. Green is expected to be out for several weeks with a calf injury, while Kuminga is still recovering from a severe ankle injury.

Despite his ongoing thumb issues, Curry remains focused on playing through the pain, hoping it will clear up soon. “Every time it gets hit, it’s like a step back,” he said. “It’s annoying, but I’ll keep playing through it. Hopefully, it clears up sooner rather than later.”