Stephen Ellison

Curry Hurts Ankle Late in Warriors' Comeback Win Over Pelicans

It has become formula, the Warriors falling behind early only to catch up and win going away, and it worked once more Monday night in New Orleans.

The defending champions overcame a 20-point halftime deficit to the beat the Pelicans 125-115 at Smoothie King Center.

Stephen Curry totaled a team-high 31 points, but left the game in the final minute after rolling his right ankle. He walked to the locker room on his own power and did not return. After the game, the team diagnosed Curry with a right ankle sprain.

X-rays came back negative, and Curry was seen leaving the locker room on crutches.

Klay Thompson tossing in 22 and Kevin Durant and Draymond Green adding 19 apiece.

The Warriors (19-6) have won four straight games, all on the current road trip.

STANDOUT PERFORMER: No one was more important to this win than Green, who scattered his statistics all over the box score.

Green’s line: 19 points (6-of-12 shooting from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, 4-of-5 from the line), nine rebounds, seven assists, four steals and two blocked shots. He played 38 minutes and was a team-best plus-27.

OF NOTE: Prior to injurying his ankle, Curry made five 3-pointers, raising his career 3-pointers total to 2,000 and becoming the eighth player to reach that milestone -- and the fastest to ever do so. Curry has played 597 games in his career.

TURNING POINT: Listless for much of the first half and trailing 69-49, the Warriors opened the second half with a 27-9 run to pull within two, 78-76, with 4:24 left in the third quarter.

That put them back in the game, whence the maintained the pressure, taking their first lead of the second half, 96-95, on an Andre Iguodala dunk with 8:31 remaining.

The Warriors closed with a 18-5 run over the final 3:33.

INJURY UPDATE: Warriors: G Stephen Curry (R hand contusion) and F Andre Iguodala (L knee soreness) were listed as probable and upgraded to available prior to tipoff. C Zaza Pachulia (L shoulder soreness) was listed as questionable and downgraded to out prior to tipoff. Curry sustained a right ankle sprain in the final minute, left the game and did not return. G Patrick McCaw (bloody nose) left the game in the first half and did not return. G Shaun Livingston was out, serving a one-game suspension. C Damian Jones is on assignment with the G-League Santa Cruz Warriors.

Pelicans: C Alexis Ajinca (R knee injury), F Anthony Davis (L adductor strain), F Solomon Hill (L hamstring tear) and G Frank Jackson (R foot fracture) were listed as out.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Warriors return to the court Wednesday at Charlotte, where they face the Hornets at Spectrum Center. Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 4 p.m., with tipoff scheduled at 5:05.

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