A Curry will return to the Warriors’ backcourt on Monday evening in Utah.
Though Steph Curry remains sidelined with runner’s knee, his younger brother Seth was cleared to return to the court for the team’s final stop of a three-game road trip.
Seth Curry has missed the past 40 games with sciatica.
He has not played since Dec. 4 but participated in pregame shooting drills before the Warriors’ victory Thursday over the Rockets. He was listed as questionable on Saturday in Oklahoma City, but the team decided not to keep him out one more game.
Now, Warriors coach Steve Kerr is excited to have him back in the fold.
“It’s great to have him back, and obviously he’s a great shooter and knows how to play,” Kerr told reporters in Utah. “He can definitely help us, and we’ll get him on the floor tonight and see how he’s feeling.”
Seth Curry, 35, joined the Warriors for training camp but was released for salary cap reasons, then re-signed several weeks into the season. He then played in only two games – both in early December – before being struck down with sciatica.
He led the NBA in 3-point percentage (45.6%) as a member of the Hornets last season. Seth Curry’s league-leading effort last season was no fluke. He owns a career accuracy rate of 43.2%, the seventh-best in NBA history.
If he can remain healthy, that shooting stroke could be a boon for a Warriors team that paces the league in 3-pointers attempted per game (45.3) but sits near the middle in terms of efficiency (35.9%).
Of course, consistent minutes are not guaranteed on a roster that is flush with guards.
Whether Brandin Podziemski starts or not, he plays major minutes either way, and has averaged 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists since the All-Star break.
De’Anthony Melton, active in Utah and expected to miss Tuesday’s matchup with the Bulls as he continues to play only one leg of back-to-backs, has arguably been the Warriors’ best player since Steph Curry began battling knee issues.
Will Richard, though out Monday with an ankle injury, has established himself as a staple in Kerr’s rotation after being a second-round pick last summer.
And Pat Spencer, LJ Cryer and Gary Payton II have also shown they can produce against certain matchups.
Though Seth Curry is back, big men Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford took an early flight back to the Bay Area.
Kerr told reporters in Utah that he expects both big men to be available for Tuesday’s game in San Francisco.
Hawks cancel strip club-themed night
At the behest of the NBA, the Hawks cancelled their Magic City strip club-themed night that was scheduled for March 16.
The promotion that saw the Hawks partner with the famous Atlanta venue drew attention when Spurs center Luke Kornet wrote an article in opposition to the night.
Two Warriors had very different reactions to Kornet’s stance.
His former teammate, Al Horford, posted “Well said Luke” on X in support. Meanwhile, Draymond Green took a different stance.
“I respect how Luke Kornet feels, I respect that he made his feelings known, but I disagree with him wholeheartedly,” Green said.