Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry is in an amazing form of late, playing a major role in their recent victories against Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and Oklahoma City Thunder. However, Curry's participation in the Warriors' game against the Hawks at Oracle Arena, Tuesday, is in doubt as the star has suffered a sprained ankle in the second quarter against the Thunder.
Though the home fans might be disappointed with such news, the Hawks will welcome his absence as it gives them a healthy chance to emerge triumphant against a Curry-less Warriors.
The Hawks are placed in the fifth position in the Eastern Conference standings with two wins on a trot. They have played some great ball so far, but the Hawks are required to play their best to defeat the Warriors even if they are without Curry.
The Hawks were comfortably beaten when the two teams met last a few days ago. Warriors thrashed Hawks with the score reading 102-92. The Hawks were completely outplayed and their key player, Al Horford, wants to show that his team is capable of coming up with a huge win.
''It's going to be a big challenge(facing Warriors),'' AP quoted Horford as saying. ''But we have a good opportunity to do well.''
The Warriors are somewhat invincible with Curry in their team and coach Steve Kerr is not going to risk his star player. With Warriors having already qualified for the playoffs, it does not make any sense to play Curry if he is not 100 percent.
"We're not going to do anything crazy, obviously. We'll err on the side of caution. But if he's healthy enough to go, we'll play him." Kerr said.
The Warriors have plenty of firepower in their team to defeat Hawks. With stars such as Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, they have a deadly duo who can help their team defeat any opponent on a given day. To add to it, they have been in great form this season as their stats suggest so. Thompson averages 21.8 ppg, while Green has been decent with 13.8 ppg.
The Warriors have won their last five matches and will be keen to win their sixth straight and continue their dominance. If they put in another clinical performance against Hawks without Curry, the Warriors will send a strong signal across to other teams in the NBA.
Where to watch live
Golden State Warriors vs Atlanta Hawks live NBA game is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET (9 a.m. IST) start with live TV coverage in India on Sony Six while the live streaming is available on Sonyliv.
US viewers can watch the Golden State Warriors vs Atlanta Hawks live NBA game on NBA TV.
Viewers around the world can watch all the NBA live action by live streaming on NBA Online.
