Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry left Friday night’s game against the Detroit Pistons with an apparent knee injury, adding to the Warriors’ injury list. With a four-day gap between games, however, Steve Kerr appeared optimistic about his superstar’s availability.
During a recent press conference, Steve Kerr provided an encouraging update on the health of Stephen Curry and Jonathan Kuminga. While referring to Curry, who is reportedly experiencing patellofemoral knee syndrome, Kerr shared:
“That’s a fancy way of saying day-to-day.”
Although Steve Kerr appeared in good spirits while addressing Curry’s health, he added that he and the performance staff had been closely monitoring the superstar’s condition. Given that the knee issue had sidelined him from the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves last week, too, he added that ensuring Curry’s health heading into the All-Star break would be crucial.
After discussing the team’s condition and other players on the roster, Steve Kerr also provided an update on Jonathan Kuminga’s availability for the game against the 76ers on Tuesday.
“He’s doing better,” Kerr stated. “He said he was feeling better. He got a workout in today before our practice. So, he’s improving; he’s getting closer to being able to play. I don’t know what his status will be for Tuesday.”
Jonathan Kuminga has been recovering from a bone bruise injury he suffered on Jan. 22. Having missed four games since, the Warriors will hope to see the forward return sooner rather than later.
Steve Kerr Addresses Stephen Curry’s Workload
Having Stephen Curry’s availability listed as day-to-day may be concerning, but the Warriors will be grateful that his injury is not severe. In light of the blows the franchise has already been dealt, with Jimmy Butler being sidelined for the remainder of the season, the Warriors can’t afford to lose more players if they hope to secure a spot in the postseason.
Needless to say, this puts an immense amount of pressure on Curry to carry the team. On that note, Steve Kerr addressed how Butler’s absence has impacted the guard’s workload.
“I don’t think he’s played dramatically more minutes during that stretch. But he’s had longer stretches,” Kerr commented. “It definitely puts a lot more stress on Steph’s shoulders not having Jimmy next to him to create shots and take over the offense when needed.”
Steve Kerr noted that the Warriors were experimenting with different lineups and strategies to take some of the scoring pressure off Curry. Unfortunately, the demands from the superstar to contribute in a significant capacity cannot be done away with.
In the six games since Butler’s injury, Curry has appeared in five, averaging 26.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 45.1% from the field and 40.4% from three-point range. In this period, the Warriors have posted a 2-3 record.
Despite Curry’s individual contributions, Golden State hasn’t been able to string together a series of wins. Given that the reliance on their lone superstar hasn’t yielded promising results, the Dubs may feel it necessary to make some moves at the trade deadline to improve their chances of competing.
