BOSTON - Even as he lay on the court, with 240-pound Boston Celtics center Al Horford on top of his recently recovered left ankle, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry knew what was wrong.
And as soon as he stood up and took a few steps, he knew he would be OK.
"I'm going to play. That's all I know right now," Curry said Thursday, a day before Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
"I know exactly what it is," explained Curry, who hurt the same ankle on a similar play in a game against Boston late in the regular season. "I guess (there's) comfort knowing I've been through it before, but also you would rather not have to deal with something like that at this point in the season."
Curry wound up at the bottom of a pile Wednesday night as players from both teams dove for a loose ball late in the fourth quarter of Game 3. Teammate Draymond Green said he heard Curry scream in pain, but the Golden State star remained on the court until coach Steve Kerr sent in the bench trailing by 14 points with two minutes left.
The Celtics held on to win 116-100 and take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Golden State needs a win Friday night to avoid falling behind further before the series shifts back to San Francisco for Game 5 on Monday.
The previous 39 times teams have split the first two games of the NBA Finals, the winner of Game 3 went on to win the series 82% of the time.
A key to the Warriors avoiding the brink of elimination: Curry not just remaining healthy, but playing like the two-time league MVP he is. Curry scored 31 points Wednesday, but just two of them came in the fourth quarter as the Celtics' league-leading defense chased the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder around the court. The Warriors were outscored 23-11 in the period.
Golden State held a video review session Thursday, but the team's regulars did not practice. Curry appeared to walk without a limp when he entered the media room to talk to reporters, and he took the steps to the podium three at a time. He had no bandage or brace on his leg.
Curry said he got plenty of sleep - 10 1/2 hours - and spent some time with his foot in an ice bucket. But he said he did not need an MRI because the injury was the same as the one he sustained when Celtics guard Marcus Smart landed on his foot in a March 16 game in San Francisco.
"This one just wasn't as bad as that one," said Curry, who missed the last 12 games of the regular season. "As soon as you started to take a couple of steps, you kind of know whether you can run normal, cut normal or not. Back then, I couldn't. Yesterday, I could. That gave me a little bit of confidence knowing it wasn't as bad."
Asked Thursday if he would be sitting out if it were a regular-season game, Curry said he couldn't say for sure. But for Game 4 of the NBA Finals, there's no question.
"I know I'm going to play," he said.
Meanwhile, the Celtics listed center Robert Williams III as questionable with the left knee injury that required late-season surgery and kept him out for seven of the team's first 14 playoff games.
Boston coach Ime Udoka said forward Jayson Tatum is dealing with a right shoulder stinger.
"That's going to flare up whenever he gets hit the wrong way," Udoka said. "(He) had to shoot some free throws after, might be a little numb there. He is shooting 3s right after, so I'm not sure it hampers his ability to finish at all."