There’s “cautious optimism” in Golden State that Warriors star Stephen Curry will be able to return to action at some point before the end of March, ESPN’s Shams Charania said on Wednesday during a segment on NBA Today (Twitter video link).
Curry, who last played on January 30, has missed the past 18 games due to patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as runner’s knee. However, both he and head coach Steve Kerr have expressed optimism about his ability to return before the end of the regular season. Charania’s latest update suggests it could happen within the next couple weeks.
“I’m told he had a strong on-court workout Tuesday afternoon in Boston,” Charania told ESPN’s Malika Andrews. “Starting to run, cut, move, take some slight contact, like the Stephen Curry that we know. The most important part though is that he’s not experiencing the swelling that he’s had over the last several weeks or a month ago, when he needed to get a PRP injection, from my understanding, due to those knee issues.”
As Anthony Slater of ESPN tweeted earlier today, Curry is still doing individual workouts and hasn’t progressed to team activities, but the fact that he’s ramping up his on-court work is a positive sign. According to Charania, the next steps for the 38-year-old will be to improve his conditioning and to make sure he’s comfortable running and jumping with that right knee.
While injuries have limited Curry to 39 games so far this season, he has continued to perform at an All-NBA level when he’s been available, averaging 27.2 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in 31.3 minutes per night, with a .468/.391/.931 shooting line. He earned his 12th All-Star berth this winter and has led Golden State to a 23-16 record in games he’s played. The team has gone just 10-19 without him.
Despite losing 10 of their past 14 games, the Warriors still have a firm hold on a play-in spot. At 33-35, they have a 9.5-game cushion on the No. 11 Grizzlies. However, they’ve fallen behind the No. 8 Clippers in the standings and are ahead of the No. 10 Trail Blazers by just a half-game.
All the haters…get ready, you are going to be exposed SO hard for all the lies and utter crud you have written in here over the last two months. You better all be deleting your accounts for not knowing ball after it happens…
STEPH CURRY, IS BETTER!
We need 3.0 already. This version isn’t even trying anymore.
Lols, name your price Davey.
I’m not sure how or even why Steph Curry comes back. Maybe just get a little run so there’s not so much time between January 30 and November 1? Maybe get five games of NBA basketball in to stay sharp?
I think it’s just competitive nature. You never know what the future may hold down the line. Maybe he stays perfectly healthy moving forward. Maybe he suffers additional significant injuries. Curry can obviously keep playing for years to come with good health, but I’m sure he’s also of the mindset that every opportunity should be appreciated at this point no matter how small. So if the doctors say he doesn’t risk reinjury by coming back, I understand taking that shot as low as the odds are.
Also, if they do manage to get to the first round, it would be a good experience for the young players. And you can’t replicate that experience anywhere else.
> if they do manage to get to the first round, it would be a good
> experience for the young players.
That assumes that GSW cares to invest in the 4 young-ish contracts they control for next season: Podz, Moody, Post and Richard.
At this stage, the most generous evaluation of those 4 is that Podz and Moody are middle-of-the-lineup (5th – 8th best players on a team) and Post and Richard are at the bottom (9th-15th).
The fact is that the Warriors’ next 3 seasons are for rebuilding, which requires high draft picks. I believe that Dunleavey and Lacob view the contracts of those 4 “mid” players as a chips to be used to acquire or improve draft capital.
Good points.
The Warriors need Chicago, Portland, and Milwaukee to win some ball games. The difference between the ninth thick and the 11th thick could be the difference between drafting a 6-6 guy and a 6-9 guy.
I think it became obvious to everyone on the planet when the Warriors lost to the Lakers and Clippers back to back and then painfully obvious after losing to Utah and Chicago last week that it’s Time to tank and the time to tank is now. 14 games to drop two spots.
It’s been a while since I’ve had interest in watching the draft lottery. Used to be an annual thing lol
JB has turned into prime Kawhi.
We will see – most fans agree that losing the play-in game(s) would be best for the team to get a better pick in the draft.
The play in games do not change draft position, dude.
They do if you make the 7 or 8 seed.
Playoff seeding has nothing to do with draft position, it has to do with the teams record.
This is an odd thing to have to explain.
Ghost, I don’t think you’re correct on this one.
I am 100 percent correct on this one. Do some research.
Lol.
There’s probably still time to erase your comment and avoid the egg on your face that’s coming when Luke settles this…
Hey boss. Noticed you had a little trouble reading there. Allow me to help you out.
You’re correct. Playoff seeding doesn’t determine draft position. Unfortunately for you, the play-IN games are not play-OFF games. You see, a team has to WIN its play-IN games to advance to the play-OFFS. Meaning that if Golden State LOST its play-IN game/games, they wouldn’t make the play-OFFS. Meaning their lottery chances would be affected being as lottery teams are the teams who DONT make the play-OFFS.
If you need any further explanation please don’t hesitate to ask.
Ghost…, Yes, they certainly do.
If you’re the number 10 seed and you win the play in game and then win the other play in game.., suddenly you’re the number eight seed and suddenly play the number one seed.
You’re no longer the 10 seed, you’re the 8 seed.
That has nothing to do with draft position.
Draft position has to do with a team’s record, not playoff seeding.
I’m not sure what’s confusing about this.
Ghost the team that MAKES the playoffs will ALWAYS have a worse draft position than a team that does not make the playoffs.
That’s regardless of their won / loss record in the regular season.
I’m certainly not confused on this so please only speak regarding your own understanding, not mine.
You’re 100 percent wrong. The play in does not change draft position. That would be absolutely ridiculous if it did. Do you think teams would want to win a play in game so they would pick lower in the draft?
Do your own research. I’m not gonna do it for you. Ask luke if you want.
Ahh, you might be right.
link to bulletsforever.com
You read it and let me know, I’m kinda high.
The four teams that are eliminated in the play-in games are always in the draft lottery and the four teams that earn playoff spots via play-in games are always outside of the lottery.
It’s technically true that winning one play-in game doesn’t necessarily impact draft position. For instance, if a No. 10 seed wins the 9/10 play-in game, then loses its second play-in game, it would still be ahead of the No. 9 team in the draft lottery order despite beating them in the play-in, since the non-playoff teams would be sorted by regular season record.
But if that No. 10 team won BOTH its play-in games, it would draft outside of the top 14 (likely at No. 15, since it would almost certainly have the worst record among playoff teams).
Thanks for the excellent information as usual Luke.
Sorry to give you work, you do so much already.., but you come through here as always with the answers we’re looking for.
It’s nice to have this website as a resource for all this incredible and sometimes complicated information.
“FAIL”
If you make the playoffs you’re out of the lottery. If yo don’t make the playoffs, there’s a chance for the #1 pick. Ask the Mavs what happened to them after losing in the play-in last season.
Has to get some games in. There have 7 gms in April.
Spurs, Cavs, Rockets, Kings, Lakers, Kings, Clippers in April ……. Sorry Davey. But I am going yo enjoy Raynaud CRUSHING Post …..
even with Steph its looking like 9th seed. Myans Blazers in play-in.
I’m not really sure which of these guys you want for next year.
Santos? Bench guy at best.
Podski back up point guard.
Payton gone.
Post back up to the backup center.
Melton he’s good but he’s gone for more money.
Spencer he has to be gone if they’re serious about next year. He’s a 15th man at best.
Will Richard? As I’ve mentioned previously I have no idea what the future holds for him. Is he a player, is he not? Who knows. He’s a 6-3 shooting guard with no point guard skills whatsoever. Those guys are questions marks.
Warriors need to retool their entire roster.
The supporting players have been awful. A mix of ageing players and mediocre young talent.
I agree. This roster is too small and unathletic. Trade everyone except Curry.
This team is a lost cause.
After tonight Warriors will be 33–36. Blazers are winning and will be 34–36. Blazers will take over 9th seed. You watching Bulls fans. There is hope still.
The Warriors are resigned to playing in the play-in game, and are pivoting their season to having all players healthy by the days of those games. W-L does not matter anymore.
Matters for Bulls. They get Blazers pick. If it falls out of top 14. The 8th seed won’t be easy lol. Hope Curry is back.
I’m a Wars fan but what’s the point? To make the play in game?
We still have not seen Steph and KP together. What if they gel quickly? If healthy, GSW is nowhere near as bad as their underachieving roster’s record.
It’s weird how GSW’s front office has only ever said they are contending, but there’s pockets of the internet where everyone thinks they are the worst team in history who is in last place and should tank. Moody’s loss is maybe the hugest. Moody’s defense is so necessary, Podz/GP2/Melton/Spencer have zero defense compared with Moody. When Steph and Moody come back, this team will beat a lot more teams, maybe all of them.