Steve Kerr isn’t ready to gamble on his superstar’s health just yet. Speaking with Willard & Dibs on 97.5 The Game, the Golden State Warriors head coach provided a blunt update on Stephen Curry’s recovery from the right knee injury that has sidelined him since late January.
While Curry has ramped up individual on-court work, Kerr made it clear the team won’t greenlight a return until he is 100%.“If we don’t feel good about [his knee], then he’s not going to play,” Kerr said. “We’re not pushing him into anything if things aren’t really clear.”
Curry is dealing with patellofemoral pain syndrome and a lingering bone bruise. While there is no structural damage, the recovery has been slow, and a return does not appear imminent.
The team is expected to re-evaluate the two-time MVP following their current road trip, with a potential target date in late March if his knee responds well to increased contact. Meanwhile, the Warriors need to deal with Moses Moody’s injury and Kerr fearing tangled scenarios.
Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors watches play.
Warriors reeling without their standard-bearer
The impact of Curry’s absence is written all over the standings. Since he went down on January 31, Golden State has stumbled to a 6-14 record, struggling to find offensive consistency.
The struggle has been most glaring on the road. The Warriors recently endured a grueling six-game road losing streak, dropping pivotal matchups in Boston, Atlanta, and Detroit.
At 33-38, the team is currently fighting to maintain its grip on the 10th seed in the Western Conference and a spot in the Play-In Tournament.
A growing injury report
Curry isn’t the only headache for the Warriors’ training staff as the calendar turns toward April. The roster has been decimated by a “perfect storm” of injuries:
Jimmy Butler III (ACL surgery), Seth Curry (Left adductor strain), Moses Moody (Right wrist sprain) and Kristaps Porziņgis (Back soreness) are the other names in the injury report for March.
With three critical games remaining this month against the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, and Denver Nuggets, the Warriors will have to rely heavily on Draymond Green and Brandin Podziemski to stay afloat in the postseason race.
