Getty
Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors is a four-time NBA champion.
The Golden State Warriors received an update on Stephen Curry‘s knee injury Friday.
Curry spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson and addressed his extended absence. He has missed seven games with runner’s knee and will miss at least four more before being re-evaluated March 1. The 37-year-old underwent a second MRI Wednesday that showed no structural damage but revealed bone bruising that requires more rest.
Curry acknowledged the frustration but said he is heading in the right direction.
What Curry Said About His Knee
GettySteph Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
Curry provided an honest assessment of where he stands.
“Feeling good,” Curry said. “I mean, it’s not going the way that I wanted it to, but I think we’re in the right direction of trying to get back out there as fast as possible.”
That statement reflects the reality of Curry’s situation. He wants to play. The Warriors need him on the floor. But his body is not cooperating. Runner’s knee does not heal on a schedule. It requires rest and management. Pushing too hard only makes it worse.
Curry first dealt with this issue on January 26 when he sat out the Warriors’ loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He returned for two games but had to leave the second with four minutes left in the third quarter as pain and swelling continued. The Warriors shut him down at that point.
The hope was that the All-Star break would give Curry enough time to recover. It did not. He returned to the team facility Wednesday and attempted to participate in the Warriors’ scrimmage. He could not. The discomfort was still there. That led to the second MRI and the decision to re-evaluate him in 10 days.
Curry is guaranteed to miss games against the Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, and Los Angeles Lakers. The earliest he could return is March 2 against the LA Clippers.
But Curry made it clear his focus is not on the regular season.
“The goal is to be healthy come playoff time and be available when it matters most,” Curry said.
That is the right approach. The Warriors need Curry healthy for the playoffs, not limping through February trying to prove something. If that means missing another week or two, so be it.
What This Means for the Warriors
GettySteve Kerr, Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors are struggling without Curry.
Golden State is 6-11 when he does not play this season. They are 2-5 in the seven games he has missed with runner’s knee specifically. The Warriors sit at 29-27 and hold the eighth seed in the Western Conference. They trail the Phoenix Suns by three games for the seventh seed and are five games behind the sixth-seeded Timberwolves.
Without Curry, the Warriors do not have a reliable offensive engine. Kristaps Porzingis is still building his conditioning after making his debut Thursday. Al Horford provides steady production but is not a primary scorer. Draymond Green is averaging 8.6 points per game. The supporting cast is inconsistent.
That puts Golden State in a difficult position. They need wins to stay in the playoff picture. But they also need Curry healthy for the postseason. Those two goals are not necessarily compatible.
The Warriors are taking the long view. They are prioritizing Curry’s health over short-term wins. That is the correct decision, even if it costs them seeding.
Curry will turn 38 on March 14. He is averaging 27.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game this season while shooting 39.1 percent from three-point range.
However, because he will not reach the 65-game threshold, Curry is ineligible for All-NBA or any other major awards. That is unfortunate. But it is also irrelevant compared to the bigger picture.
The Warriors need Curry healthy for a playoff run. Individual accolades do not matter if he cannot help the team compete in the postseason.
What Comes Next for Curry
Curry will be re-evaluated March 1.
If the knee responds well over the next 10 days, he could return shortly after that. If not, the Warriors will continue to hold him out. There is no predetermined timeline. The decision will be based on how Curry feels and what the medical staff recommends.
Curry made it clear he is frustrated by the prolonged absence. “Obviously, I’d love to be playing right now,” Curry said. “If you’re healthy, you’re able to play. I’m headed in the right direction and hopefully it won’t be too much longer.”
That frustration is understandable. Curry has spent his career battling through injuries. He knows his body better than anyone. He also knows the difference between playing through discomfort and risking further damage.
The Warriors have 26 games remaining in the regular season. They need Curry for as many of those games as possible. But they need him even more for the playoffs. If that means exercising caution now, it is worth it.
The margin for error is thin. Golden State already sits in the play-in tournament as the eighth seed. They are three games ahead of the ninth-place Clippers but five games behind the sixth-seeded Timberwolves. Staying in the seventh or eighth seed means needing just one play-in win to make the playoffs. Falling to ninth or tenth means needing two play-in wins. But the Warriors would rather have Curry healthy for those play-in games than rush him back and lose him for the season.
Final Word for the Warriors
Stephen Curry provided an update on his knee injury Friday.
He is feeling better but not where he needs to be. The second MRI showed no structural damage, which is encouraging. But bone bruising requires rest. The Warriors are taking the long view by prioritizing his health over short-term wins.
Curry will miss at least four more games before being re-evaluated March 1. The earliest he could return is March 2 against the Clippers. But the Warriors will not rush him back. His goal is to be healthy for the playoffs, not to salvage a regular season that has already gone sideways.
The Warriors are 6-11 without Curry this season. They need him on the floor to have any chance in the postseason. But they need him healthy more than they need him now.
Curry is frustrated by the prolonged absence. He wants to play. But he also understands the bigger picture. The Warriors have 26 games remaining. The goal is to make sure Curry is available when it matters most.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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