The Golden State Warriors will have to continue the season for a while without one of their most efficient players in forward Harrison Barnes, who suffered a left ankle sprain during Friday's 135–116 victory over the Phoenix Suns. 

Barnes injured the ankle in the third quarter of the game versus Phoenix and headed to the locker room, with the Warriors later announcing the injury and that he would no longer check back in, ESPN reported. 

In another report by ESPN, tests on Barnes' ankle were negative but it is expected that he will be out of Golden State's next three games because of the injury. 

The 23-year-old forward already missed the Warriors' 120–101 win over the Sacramento Kings last Saturday which extended the team's record-setting streak to start the season at 18–0. 

Now, he will also likely be out when the Dubs take on the Utah Jazz (Monday), Charlotte Hornets (Wednesday), and the Toronto Raptors (Saturday), with all three games being part of a seven-game Eastern Conference road trip for the defending champions. 

If Barnes' ankle allows him to return after those three games, he will be back on the court when the Warriors face the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 6. 

The first-round pick (seventh overall) in the 2012 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft was a huge part of the Warriors' championship push last season and is still a key player for them this 2015–16 season. 

Barnes is the third leading scorer for the champions this season, averaging 13.4 points per contest, together with five rebounds and 1.9 assists. 

Before missing their game against the Kings, Barnes has played in all 17 games for Golden State and the three-game stretch that will keep him out for a while will be the first this season. 

In their championship-winning season last season, Barnes played and started in all 82 regular season games and also did the same in 21 playoff games.