NBA Notes: Warriors, Stephen Curry, Kings, Domantas Sabonis, Suns

Warriors

Golden State’s night took a familiar turn Friday, and not the good kind.

Stephen Curry was ruled out in the second half of the Warriors’ 131-124 loss to Detroit due to right knee soreness, an issue that’s been hovering for more than a week now, per ESPN’s Anthony Slater.

Curry made a stumbling layup while getting fouled with 4:28 left in the third quarter, then immediately started grimacing and limping. Twenty seconds later, he was done for the night.

He briefly met with trainers, limped to the locker room, and was later seen icing the knee. He didn’t speak to reporters and was still favoring the leg as he left the arena.

This wasn’t a bolt-from-the-blue situation. Curry had already popped up on the injury report six days earlier with swelling and discomfort in that same knee after an individual workout in Minneapolis, officially labeled patellofemoral inflammation.

He played through it Sunday against the Timberwolves, sat out the Monday rematch, then returned for games in Utah and against Detroit.

Afterward, Warriors coach Steve Kerr tried to strike a calm tone.

“I think he’s OK,” Kerr said. “I don’t think it’s anything major. It’s been nagging him recently.”

Curry still managed 23 points in just 25 minutes before exiting, but the bigger picture is obvious.

With the trade deadline approaching and Golden State’s margin for error thin, Curry’s health is the whole operation. Everything else is secondary.

Kings

Trade rumors have a way of finding Domantas Sabonis, and this season has been no different.

The Kings big man acknowledged as much this week, but made it clear he’s not letting the noise seep in.

“There’s nothing you can do,” Sabonis told Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. “You just try to ignore it. I’m here right now, and we’re just trying to go out there and play as well as we can.”

That mindset hasn’t changed, though the circumstances have. Sabonis admitted the rumors hit a little differently now that he’s married, has three children, owns a home in Napa Valley, and even runs his own wine brand.

“It’s definitely different this time,” he said. “I’ve got kids, so you’ve got to think about that. But on the court it’s the same thing.

“I forget everything once I’m in between those lines and the goal is just to help your team win.”

Sabonis’ name has hovered around deadline chatter as Sacramento weighs its direction. Whether anything comes of it is another story. 

Suns

While other teams brace for deadline turbulence, Phoenix appears content to stay the course.

The Suns are not expected to make any major roster changes ahead of February 5, with the organization pleased by the chemistry that’s developed under first-year head coach Jordan Ott.

“We have people in place in leadership to take care of a lot of that stuff,” Ott said earlier this week, via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “We know it’s right around the corner, but we love our group. We love our group.”

That confidence is also tied to health. Phoenix recently welcomed back Jalen Green, who returned Friday against Cleveland after missing three games with hamstring tightness.

“Our group is growing internally,” Ott said. “Our big piece we’re going to get back is Jalen Green, and that’s what we’re excited about.”