Warriors Miss Curry, Butler, Green in Loss to Thunder.
SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors were without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green for their 131-94 loss at home on Friday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Green rested and Curry tweaked his left ankle late in the team’s Wednesday afternoon win in Charlotte. Butler wasn’t initially listed on the injury report but popped up on Friday because of an illness.
Jonathan Kuminga was also ruled out ahead of the loss because of lower back soreness.
Friday was the front side of a home back-to-back for the Warriors after returning from a road trip to Toronto, Brooklyn and Charlotte. They face the Jazz on Saturday night. They are hopeful all three will be available against Utah.
The Friday night game against the Thunder was on Prime Video. The NBA recently implemented player participation policy for its stars on nationally televised games. Butler and Curry have been All-Stars in the previous three seasons, so they qualify, meaning the league could fine them $100,000 if they deem their absences illegitimate.
Curry called his ankle twist against the Hornets a “little blast from the past” but said he would be all right. He has had infamous ankle issues in the past. The team said Butler woke up Friday morning feeling under the weather.
LA Clippers center Ivica Zubac is available to return to action for Saturday’s home game against the Boston Celtics.
Zubac wasn’t listed on the Clippers’ injury report ahead of the game.
It will be a quick return for Zubac after sustaining a Grade 2 ankle sprain during a Dec. 20 Clippers win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Zubac fell to the court in a heap late in the first quarter and immediately hobbled to the locker room for evaluation. He finished with five points and two rebounds in 11 minutes in that game.
Zubac’s return comes as the surging Clippers will be looking to win their seventh straight game.
Zubac is averaging 15.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game this season. He has started all 28 games he has played this season.
