Warriors say Curry out vs. Clips; Payton will miss at least a week

LOS ANGELES – The struggling Golden State Warriors will be without Stephen Curry and Gary Payton II for at least a week on Friday, the team announced Thursday.

Curry, who continues to battle bilateral knee pain, will miss the first game of a back-to-back set when the Warriors visit the LA Clippers. Draymond Green will also not play due to a bruised left lower back.

Payton, one of Golden State’s best defenders, underwent an MRI on Thursday that revealed a mild left calf strain. He will be reevaluated in a week, the team said.

Coach Steve Kerr had said Curry, 36, could miss one of the team’s next two games for health reasons after he scored 38 points in 36 minutes in a 115-113 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Eve. After their game against the Clippers, the Warriors host the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.

Curry had been dealing with bilateral knee pain and said medical staff initially discussed occasionally missing a game to prevent the problem from worsening. The Warriors have also talked about keeping minutes low for Curry and Green.

Payton first injured his left calf on November 21 in a win at Minnesota. He missed Monday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers but played again in the loss to the Lakers before finally exiting with 9:27 left in the fourth quarter. He was seen limping off the floor before heading to the locker room.

The Warriors have lost 11 of their last 14 games since the start of the season at 12-3.

Kerr has tried different lineups and rotations during the crisis. He must now find a way to fill the void left by Curry’s 22.5 points per game when the Warriors face the Clippers.

By losing Payton for at least a week, Kerr will be without one of his best perimeter defenders and most athletic guards. He averages 4.6 points in 13.1 minutes per game.