Warriors’ NBA Championship Odds Drop with Curry Injury

• Steph Curry was leading the league with a true shooting percentage of 67.5-percent before his injury. Can the Warriors stay alive in the West long enough for him to return?
• Will the two-time MVP return in time for the second round of the playoffs?
• Is this the year the Rockets topple the Warriors in the West?  

The Golden State Warriors will have to begin their title defense without Steph Curry after their two-time MVP was diagnosed with a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee. The injury, which Curry suffered on Friday against the Hawks, is expected to sideline him for three-to-six weeks.

Curry will be re-evaluated in early April, but head coach Steve Kerr doesn’t expect him back anytime soon.

“There’s no way he’s playing in the first round. There’s no way.”

Steve Kerr on Stephen Curry’s Playoff timeline after his MCL sprain. pic.twitter.com/pNyywhty7d

— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 25, 2018

Curry’s loss is just the latest setback for a team that’s been snake bitten since the All-Star Break. Golden State is also without the services of Kevin Durant, who is recovering from a fractured rib, Draymond Green, who is dealing with a pelvic contusion, and Klay Thompson, who is rehabbing a broken thumb on his shooting hand.

Golden State generates 14 more points per 100 possessions when Curry is on the court.

All three players are expected back soon, but the Warriors won’t truly be at full strength until Curry is back on the court and directing their high-octane offense. The five-time All-Star is averaging 26.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game, and Golden State generates 14 more points per 100 possessions when he’s on the court.

The Warriors aren’t the only tittle contenders who have been dealing with injuries. The Rockets have also been without their own All-Star point guard as Chris Paul has missed the past three games while nursing a sore hamstring. However, unlike Golden State, Houston is still rolling in Paul’s absence. The Rockets have won all three games and have come out on top in 26 of their last 27 contests.

The Rockets are presently five and a half games ahead of the Warriors in the Western Conference standings and will almost certainly have homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs. Their dominance – coupled with Golden State’s misfortune – has cast serious doubt on the Warriors’ ability to win back-to-back titles. We’ve included fresh new odds below on how we think the next few weeks will unfold.

If you’re interested in placing a wager on Golden State, some books are offering +125 odds. That’s a significant drop from the previous week when they were available at -110. Stay tuned for more details as we track Curry’s progress.