Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, Warriors
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The bond between Draymond Green and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors will be tested amid the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors.
The Golden State Warriors beat the Brooklyn Nets 109-106 on Wednesday night at Chase Center. It was an ugly win against a team with little interest in climbing the standings, but it was a win. With nine games left in the regular season and a play-in spot still to be secured, they needed it.
Stephen Curry watched from the bench. He has been watching from the bench for nearly two months now.
The question of when he returns, and whether he should be pushed to return at all, is the one hanging over everything in Golden State right now. Draymond Green had a direct answer when asked about it.
What Draymond Said About Curry’s Return
Green did not dance around it.
“If there’s an inkling of a doubt with his knee, no, I don’t,” Green said when asked if he thinks Curry should push to get back. “But if he’s healthy and he can play, absolutely, because that’s what you put the work in for.”
It is a measured take that reflects exactly where the Warriors are. Nobody is pushing Curry back onto the floor before he is ready. The losses of Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody to season-ending injuries have made the organization acutely aware of what rushing a return can cost. At the same time, if Curry is genuinely healthy, Green’s position is clear. You get back out there.
Anthony Slater
Does Draymond Green think Steph Curry should push to get back in what feels like a lost season?
“If there’s an inkling of a doubt with his knee, no, I don’t. But if he’s healthy and he can play, absolutely, because that’s what you put the work in for.”
Where Curry’s Recovery Stands
Curry last played on January 30. He was diagnosed with patellofemoral pain syndrome and bone bruising in his right knee, and he has not been back since. The Warriors had indicated earlier that a March return was the target. That window is now closing fast.
Steve Kerr addressed Curry’s status ahead of Wednesday’s game and the update was not what Warriors fans were hoping to hear. Curry has not yet been able to scrimmage. The expectation had been for him to do some live work over the past few days, but that has not materialized. Kerr said the team will provide another update later this week.
“If we don’t feel good about it, then he’s not going to play,” Kerr told 95.7 The Game. “We’re not pushing him into anything if things aren’t really clear.”
It is a cautious approach, and an understandable one. Rick Celebrini, the Warriors’ lead medical decision-maker, has been firm on that front throughout the process.
95.7 The Game
“If we don’t feel good about [Steph’s knee], then he’s not going to play. We’re not pushing him into anything if things aren’t really clear.”
– Steve Kerr on Steph Curry’s return to action (via @WillardAndDibs).
What It Means for the Warriors
Golden State sits 35-38 with nine games remaining, 1.5 games behind the ninth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers. The play-in spot is still there. Whether Curry makes it back in time to be part of it remains unclear.
The bigger picture extends beyond this season. Al Horford has a player option for next year. Kristaps Porzingis will be a free agent. De’Anthony Melton is expected to decline his player option. The Warriors need to keep as much of their core together as possible while Butler and Moody work through lengthy rehabs.
A Curry return, even in limited minutes, would go a long way in demonstrating what next season could look like. That matters when you are trying to convince free agents to stay.
Final Word for the Warriors
Green’s take was straightforward. If the knee is right, get back out there. If there is any doubt, do not.
The Warriors are not in a position to lose Curry for an extended period on top of everything else they have already absorbed this season. Nine games left. The play-in is the goal. Whether Curry is part of it will depend entirely on what his knee tells him between now and then.
The update is coming later this week. Until then, the Warriors wait.