Warriors mimicking Celtics on the injury front


“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” - Oscar Wilde


The Golden State Warriors are far from a mediocre NBA team, but they do seem to be imitating the Boston Celtics. The Warriors and Celtics have been recently ranked first and second, respectively, in ESPN's latest Future NBA Power rankings. Both teams have the second-best records in their respective Conferences.


The mimicry has now moved to the injury front. Stephen Curry is out at least three weeks with a grade 2 MCL sprain. Klay Thompson is out at least three more games with a thumb injury, and Draymond Green is day-to-day with a pelvic contusion. Kevin Durant should be back this coming week after recovering from rib fractures.

For the injury-plagued Celtics, Kyrie Irving is out 3-6 weeks following minimally-invasive knee surgery. Daniel Theis is almost certainly out until next season after knee surgery. Marcus Smart is out until some point in the upcoming playoffs after repair surgery on his right thumb. Do you see the same trend that I see? Something about knees and thumbs. I have no idea what Green and Durant are up to. I see no pelvic problems or rib rehab issues with Boston's roster. Dray and Kev apparently didn't get the script. Here is Kyrie's outlook (per CelticsLife's Justin Quinn):

The recovery time noted by the Boston Celtics - three to six weeks - could see Irving back on the court in time to play at least some of the first round, though one would expect that the actual date of Kyrie's return will probably come later in the second round unless Boston looks to be in trouble early on in the postseason.

Here is what Steph's prognosis and playoff chances (via ESPN's Chris Haynes):

An MRI on Saturday revealed a Grade 2 MCL sprain. Curry will be re-evaluated April 14, which is the first day of the NBA playoffs. Before the MRI results were revealed, sources said the organization felt that if Curry were to be out for only a month it would be considered a massive victory.

Irving and Curry are two of the most exciting and talented players in the League. If the injury plague departs from their teams, the two superstars could end up meeting in the NBA Finals. It may be time for the Celtics to mimic the playoff success of their West Coast rival.

Follow Tom at @TomLaneHC

Photo via Maddie Meyer/Getty Images North America

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