It is difficult not to agree that Stephen Curry, the reigning two-time NBA MVP, has not shown his stellar MVP-calibre performances in the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Curry lost his cool and was ejected for a technical foul in game 6 and there are reports that an MRI revealed that Curry may require multiple surgeries in both of his knees and shoulder once the offseason begins. Could his recent history of injuries be affecting his game?
Curry’s most recent injury was a grade one medical collateral ligament (MCL) sprain after slipping on the court in game 5 of the series against the Houston Rockets. The MCL is a ligament located on the inner part of the knee that stabilizes the knee joint and connects the tibia (shin) bone to the to the femur (thigh). MCL injuries are classified as grade one, two, or three; a grade one sprain suffered by Curry means that the ligament had not been torn, but the ligament fibers had been mildly stretched. Curry was able to get back on the court in just 2 weeks, but there is a lot of speculation that the knee is bothering his game.
Dunitz, Martin. (2001). Collateral ligament sprain. Retrieved from: http://www.physioroom.com/injuries/knee/medial_collateral_ligament_sprain_full.php
To read up on the original article on Curry’s MCL injury, click here.
The MCL is put under more pressure anytime the knee is extended and pushed medially. This means that Curry may feel a sharp pain anytime the knee is not planted perfectly during lateral movements or landing from a jump. Basketball players are also especially prone to the valgus stretch, when the knee is rotated inwards towards the centre of the body. The stretch almost always occurs when attempting a crossover or cutting to change direction in the knee that comes off the ground first. The MCL becomes an even more important ligament that stabilizes the knee for speedy guards like Curry who use their lateral quickness to cross over defenders or play around screens to get a shot off. In other words, the knee may be the reason to Curry’s lack of explosion to the basket and inability to shake off bigger defenders with the dribble following switches in the pick and roll. On the defensive end, Curry is not guarding Kyrie Irving, the Cavaliers’ main offensive threat. Irving is one of the best ball handlers in the league and his ability to accelerate and change direction off the dribble surely does not delight Curry’s MCL.
The stats and numbers from Basketball-reference.com also show that Curry is settling more for the outside jump shot. Compared to last season’s playoffs when 52.8% of his shots were three point attempts, that number is up to 57.4% this season. When he is getting to the basket, he is not converting like he used to. In the 2015 playoffs, his shots from within three feet were dropping at 70.1%; this year, field goal percentage has dropped drastically to 54.2%. Dr. Lyle Micheli, director of the sports medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital, explains that there’s a tendency for all [players] to put valgus stress on the knee when landing from a jump. This may be one of the reasons why Curry is shying away from driving to the basket and taking contact.
All the spotlight will be on Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Sunday as they have a great opportunity to cap off an historic season at home in Oakland with a championship. Curry will be hoping that his MCL will be fully ready to perform on the biggest game of his career.
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