Stephen Curry remains out for the second game in a row and won’t be available for the Warriors against the Nuggets on Friday night. After being sidelined due to illness against the Kings, the 37-year-old veteran will miss the matchup against Nikola Jokic’s team in the Warriors’ first NBA Cup fixture of the season on November 7.
So far this season, Curry has averaged 26.8 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.6 rebounds in eight games, while shooting 38.9% from beyond the arc. In his absence, the Warriors will be looking elsewhere for their offensive production.
Along with Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green were also sidelined for the Warriors’ 116-121 loss to the Kings. But both Butler and Green could likely suit up in an important fixture for the Warriors.
According to Anthony Slater, ESPN’s Warriors Insider, Jimmy Butler has been listed as ‘questionable’ for the game, while Draymond Green is listed as ‘probable.’ Which means it is more likely that Green will play, but it is possible that both starters make a return on Friday night.
The Warriors’ coaching staff intentionally benched Butler during the game against the Suns after he tweaked his lower back, which worsened his soreness during the game. Curry was also optimistic about his return. If it were up to him, he would have played against the Kings as well, but he will have to sit out the Nuggets game due to his illness.
The Silver Lining For The Warriors
In the star point guard’s absence, young players will once again be forced to step up for the offensive production. If Butler plays limited minutes like he did against the Suns, the Warriors’ young core of Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and Will Richard will have to once again step into the shoes of the veterans and take over for the night.
Even though Russell Westbrook’s stellar performance led to the Kings’ victory against the Warriors, one cannot deny that the 30-point performance from Will Richard and the 28-point game for Moses Moody could be a crucial confidence boost for the young players.
Even though Richard humbly said that it did not matter to him that he scored 30 points on a night when the Warriors came up short, I believe that a career-high night for the young rookie definitely prepares him to avoid potential cold feet in big moments in the future.
Green’s return will, of course, help on the defensive and playmaking ends of the game, but scoring and offensive production will still be primarily the young core’s responsibility.
