




The Warriors say they're not going to set a limitation on Curry's minutes or give the third-year player nights off during their 13 back-to-back games after the All-Star break. Some people in the league do believe that resting Curry is the only way to assure his future health.

"He needs to consider sitting out, possibly for the rest of the season," said Hall of Famer Rick Barry, a spokesman for Ektio's patented footwear technology. "It takes a lot of time to allow those ligaments to heal properly. He's playing with an ankle that's not healed. That's the bottom line."

Curry had three severe sprains that cost him eight regular-season games and a portion of the exhibition schedule last season. Dr. Bob Anderson, a foot/ankle specialist, repaired two balky ankle ligaments in May in Charlotte.

In the second and final exhibition game this season, Curry strained the other ligament in the ankle. He did it again in the second regular-season game (Dec. 26 vs. Chicago) and again four games later (Jan. 6 at San Antonio), which cost him 16 days and eight games.

Until Wednesday, Curry's return had been played without repeat injury episodes, but it has come at a cost. He's forced to do about an hour of arduous rehab and maintenance on his ankles before games and practices, and he has matched his career average of 18 points in consecutive games only once since coming back Jan. 20.

"To me, you're talking about his future and a lot of money down the road," Barry said. "You're jeopardizing all of that by possibly having a recurring ankle injury. I'd do everything I possibly could to prevent that from happening."

Barry's fifth son to receive a Division I scholarship, Canyon - a senior at Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs who is going to the College of Charleston - landed on an opponent's foot during a Feb. 8 game. His doctor said the ankle would have shattered if it wasn't for Ektio.

"The doctor said he was amazed that he still had great stability in the ankle," Barry said. "I think it's a hell of a product, but you have to put a healthy foot into the shoe for it to work. If Curry took the time off to get healthy, I think Ektio would do a lot to help negate further problems."

Former New York guard John Starks, who now works in the franchise's front office, famously made the Knicks' roster because of ankle and knee injuries in 1990. He was injured attempting to dunk on Patrick Ewing during a tryout, and the team couldn't release him unless he was healed by the end of December. That didn't happen, and he became a major contributor for the Knicks for eight seasons.

Starks talked to Curry's father, Dell, about Ektio. The shoe has a built-in ankle brace and uses a series of straps that stabilizes the foot and ankle more than a traditional sneaker.

Curry has a three-year deal with a player option for the fourth with Nike, which pays him about $250,000 a year. He went to the Nike facility in Beaverton, Ore., last month to have his foot fitted and have video analysis of his running style.

"Ektio is a great idea, but I'd still have to take them to the lab and make sure they fit my foot or I'd have the same problems," Curry said. "I haven't seriously entertained any other brands than Nike. They've helped me out a whole lot this year, and I appreciate everything they've done to keep me on the floor.

"I know they have a plan every year to sell shoes and hit a certain market with a certain look, but they put all of that aside and worried about my health. That means a lot to me."
