Steph Curry to sit out All-Star Game, Butler undergoes ACL surgery

SAN FRANCISCO – NBA fans will be deprived of watching the best shooter of all time during Sunday’s All-Star Game in Inglewood.

Steph Curry will not be playing in his 12th All-Star Game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr announced during his pregame press conference on Monday at Chase Center. 

“It really is a day-to-day thing, so it’s hard to predict for sure whether he’ll be playing in that first game after the break, but that’s the hope,” Kerr said. 

Curry has missed the past four games with runners’ knee, an injury that can only be healed through rest. That means Curry will also miss Wednesday’s game against San Antonio. Curry is averaging a team-high 27.2 points and the Warriors are just 5-9 when he’s not in the lineup.

Should Curry come back for that game after the All-Star break on Feb. 19 against the Celtics, his return would coincide with Kristaps Porzingis’ Warriors debut. 

A few minutes before Kerr gave that update, the Warriors announced that Jimmy Butler successfully underwent surgery in Los Angeles earlier on Monday. 

“I have not talked to Jimmy today, but I spoke with Bernie Lee, his agent, or texted with him, and spoke with (team doctor) Rick Celebrini, who was there for the surgery,” Kerr said. “So everything went well, and now the recovery begins.”

Kerr said Butler hopes to be around the team at some point later in the season, but any such plans are still uncertain as he immediately begins rehab. 

Heading into Monday’s game, the Warriors were 3-6 since Butler went down with injury during Jan. 19th’s game against the Heat. He averaged 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 38 starts this season.