Warriors' Stephen Curry Says He's 'Very Optimistic' He'll Play in Game 1 vs. Nuggets
April 14, 2022
The Golden State Warriors will likely have Stephen Curry on the court for Game 1 of their playoff series against the Denver Nuggets.
Appearing on The Draymond Green Show, Curry said he is "very optimistic" about playing Saturday.
The Volume @TheVolumeSports.<a href="https://twitter.com/StephenCurry30?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StephenCurry30</a> tells <a href="https://twitter.com/Money23Green?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Money23Green</a> that he’s “very optimistic” that he’ll be able to play in Game 1 <a href="https://t.co/TiGodNR3O5">pic.twitter.com/TiGodNR3O5</a>
Curry missed the final 12 games of the regular season with a sprained ligament and bone bruise in his left foot. He originally suffered the injury in the second quarter of Golden State's 110-88 loss to the Boston Celtics on March 16 when Marcus Smart rolled on his left leg going after a loose ball.
Wednesday marked the Warriors' first day of practice this week leading up to the playoffs. Curry was a full participant, and there's no indication he was hobbled by the injury.
Head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after practice that the team is going to reevaluate where Curry is at on Thursday.
"We'll reevaluate tomorrow, but I would say right now it's looking good," Kerr said.
The Warriors went 6-6 over the final 12 games without Curry in the lineup. Since a Christmas Day win over the Phoenix Suns improved their record to 27-6, they have played just above .500 over the past 49 games (26-23).
Injuries did play a significant role in Golden State's decline during this stretch. Curry and Green missed a combined 54 games. Klay Thompson hasn't played both nights of a back-to-back since returning to the lineup Jan. 9.
As long as the Warriors' trio is healthy, they will have a chance to beat anyone in the Western Conference. Curry is the driving force behind the team's success. The two-time NBA MVP led the team with 25.5 points per game and ranked second on the team with 6.3 assists per game (behind Green's 7.0) in 64 starts this season.