PORTLAND, Ore. -- Stephen Curry aggravated his right thumb injury but was able to play through it Friday and said he will be ready for Sunday's crucial regular-season finale against the LA Clippers.
Curry banged the thumb on his shooting hand and left with 1:59 remaining in the first quarter of the Golden State Warriors' 103-86 win over the Trail Blazers. Curry underwent an X-ray on the thumb, and the results were negative, according to the team. He returned in the second and third quarters before sitting out the fourth with the Warriors up by as much as 27.
Curry dealt with a painful thumb injury in January. He said this latest throbbing thumb issue will not hold him back from facing the Clippers at Chase Center.
"From what I know, just an aggravation," Curry said of the latest injury. "The same thing [as the earlier thumb injury], but hopefully it wasn't anything serious."
He added: "I just know it hurts right now, but I'll be all right."
Curry finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in 27 minutes. He shot 6-for-14 overall and said the injury affected his shooting "a little bit" after he had the thumb taped up.
"Because it was freshly ringing, new pain," Curry said. "But I don't think it'll last too long."
The Warriors will need their franchise star feeling as good as possible Sunday. The winner will secure a spot in the top six in the Western Conference and a playoff series.
"I don't want to be too dramatic," Curry said when asked what the finale will be like. "It should be like a Game 7 kind of vibe. You win and you control your destiny on a guaranteed playoffs series. If you lose, you roll the dice."
Golden State can fall no lower than seventh and a play-in spot with a loss. The Clippers can finish as high as fourth or as low as seventh.
The Warriors (48-33) and Clippers (49-32) last met Dec. 27. Kawhi Leonard hadn't made his season debut after rehabbing his injured knee. And the Warriors did not have Jimmy Butler III, who came in a trade shortly before the February deadline. The Clippers are 3-0 this season against the Warriors.
"[It will be] like a playoff game," Warriors forward Draymond Green said. "Super intense. Two teams fighting for their playoff lives. Expected to be a very physical, high-intelligent, high-level basketball game."
Avoiding the play-in, in which the Warriors are 0-3 all time, would give Golden State a week off to rest and prepare.
Curry said he is ready to play Sunday. But a week off could do wonders for his thumb.
"I'm feeling great," Curry said of the thumb after the game. "Ready to play Game 82 on Sunday. Excited about it."