The Golden State Warriors are about to get their franchise cornerstone back on the floor. Stephen Curry missed over two months of action with a stubborn right knee injury.
With Curry expected to make his return at Chase Center on Sunday, Draymond Green delivered the exact update Golden State fans have been waiting to hear.
Draymond Green Says Stephen Curry ‘Looks Like Himself’ Ahead of Return
After watching the two-time MVP carve up the practice squad this week, Green made it clear that Curry hasn’t lost a step during his 27-game hiatus. Curry had been sidelined since Jan. 30 with patellofemoral pain syndrome and a bone bruise in his right knee.
After taking a cautious approach, the Warriors finally cleared Curry for full 5-on-5 contact earlier this week.
Green, never one to miss an opportunity to stir the pot, gave an assessment of his longtime teammate’s progress firsthand. “Anytime Steph is in these situations where he’s playing these return-to-play [scrimmages], I have so much fun going to sit on the sidelines and talk junk to him,” he said via The San Francisco Standard.
“I’m always cheering on the other guys to get stops. And he just annihilates everyone. But I will tell you: He looks like himself,” Green added.
Golden State was struggling in Curry’s absence, as opposing defenses routinely collapsed to deny dribble penetration. The four-time champion was putting up impressive performances before the knee flared up. He was averaging 27.2 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds over his first 39 appearances of the campaign.
Warriors fans are bound to draw optimism from these comments. Curry himself was cautious but optimistic about how his injury had been managed and said he was adapting to the “new normal,” stating:
“There’s nothing structurally wrong with my knee. So it’s not like I’m compromised out there. It is a new normal, though. I’m understanding what I need to do off the court to make sure everything around my knee is strong and firing the right way. I will take full advantage of the offseason whenever it is to have a full reset.”
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Golden State holds a 36-41 overall record entering the final weeks of the regular season. The team sits in 10th place in the Western Conference standings, having clinched a guaranteed play-in tournament spot.
While Curry is expected to see limited minutes as he regains his game conditioning, his return is bound to rejuvenate the Warriors and possibly shift their postseason fate.
