The Golden State Warriors suffered their first defeat of the season against the L.A Clippers at Chase Center on Sunday, but the far bigger concern is the health of superstar guard Stephen Curry who left the game with an ankle injury.
Head coach Steve Kerr labelled it a mild and moderate ankle sprain in the post-game, yet Curry's short-term playing status has to be in serious jeopardy as the Warriors are left to prepare for at least some time without their best player.
Steve Kerr and the Warriors will have to adapt to a far different offense
Golden State could be in for an incredibly important period, assuming Curry does miss some games. Their depth led them to huge wins over the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz, but needless to say the 2x MVP was really the only player they couldn't afford to lose.
Kerr and the Warriors have emphasized three-point shooting so far this season, having averaged 47 attempts over the first three games which ranks second in the league behind the reigning champion Boston Celtics.
That's going to have to change without Curry for a multitude of reasons. Not only will Golden State lose the 36-year-old's own volume as the greatest shooter of all-time, but they'll also lose Curry's sheer threat which allows others to get wide-open looks from beyond the arc.
The Warriors will have to adjust to cater to their personnel, with Kerr already mentioning Andrew Wiggins as someone who should get more opportunities. The 2022 All-Star is already playing well, having been a shining light in Sunday's loss with a game-high 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting and 5-of-8 from three-point range.
But Golden State most need a lift from fourth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga who has disappointed through three games. The 22-year-old had 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting against the Clippers, going 1-of-6 from beyond the arc. After averaging over 18 points on 54% shooting in the second-half of last season, Kuminga is currently averaging 8.0 points on 33.3% shooting to start this season.
Kuminga desperately needs to be more of a factor in Curry's absence, and particularly going downhill at the rim where he's at his best, rather than relying on his inconsistent jump-shot. Without Curry on the floor, Golden State probably need to park the three-point ambitions a little and prioritize their athletic scorers like Wiggins and Kuminga.
Regardless of how much time Curry misses with his ankle issue, Kerr and offensive coordinator Terry Stotts have a huge challenge in ensuring the Warriors stay afloat and don't have this result as a season-defining injury.