Stephen Curry Injury Update: Kerr Reveals Plan For Guard's Game 2 Return

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has officially listed Stephen Curry as probable for Game 2 of the Western Conference semi-finals against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.

The Warriors point guard came through practice unscathed on Sunday and Monday and the coach confirmed that he was ready to play as long as no issues rose with his sprained left knee on the morning of the game.

Kerr would not confirm if Curry would start the game against the Pelicans, but revealed that there would be no minute restriction on the point guard, who has missed the last 16 games. He missed the 4-1 win over the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs and then Game 1 against the Pelicans, which they won comfortably 123-101 on Saturday.

“He’ll want to get his legs underneath him,” Kerr said after practice on Monday, as quoted by AP News. “So we’ll try to find that balance between being cautious and letting him go a little bit.”

Curry has gone through four consecutive practice sessions and even scrimmaged with the reserves on Sunday after which he was given clearance by the medical staff to return to action. The two-time MVP was keen to play the first game and pleaded his case with the coach, but was omitted from the playing squad.

Kerr revealed that they had taken a cautious approach this time around and waited almost the entire six-week period that is needed to recover from a grade two MCL sprain. This was unlike in 2016, when they rushed Curry back to action after just 15 days.

The two-time MVP has missed over 35 games this season owing to injury which include the final 10 games of the regular season and the six playoff games. The Warriors coach is confident that he was ready on the health front now and that it was just a matter of him getting back his rhythm on the court.

“Right from that window up there I had one eye on the game tape and one eye on Steph. I had a good vantage point,” Kerr said. “He came out of it good. I talked to him afterward and he came out well. Feeling good today, went through the whole practice, so I’d be very surprised if he didn’t play. But just for caution issue, we’ll wait ’til tomorrow to see how he’s feeling.”

“He needs rhythm. The only factor in terms of allowing him to play is health, and he’s ready to go. He’s been cleared. Now it’s a question of rhythm and how much time we give him, and that’s important. He needs to get his groove back,” he added.

Kevin Durant, who has been starring alongside Klay Thompson in Curry’s absence, expects his teammate to find his groove immediately upon his return.

“I expect him to be who he is,” Durant said. “I’m not saying it’s guaranteed to happen. But he puts in the work and prepares himself right when he’s put in that position, so when he comes out and he plays well it’s not a surprise to me at all.”