Steve Kerr Says Stephen Curry Would Play with Ankle Injury If It Were Playoffs

While Stephen Curry remains out with an ankle injury, his time off seems to be a precautionary measure.

"We're obviously prioritizing health, No. 1. ... If these were the playoffs right now, Steph would be playing," Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said Thursday on KNBR 680, via Drew Shiller of NBC Sports. "But we have a better chance to rehab him over the next 10 days. And a better chance to keep him around without tweaking that thing again for the long term."

The point guard has missed the past three games and is expected to miss at least three more.

Curry hadn't missed more than four games in any of the last five seasons, but he has been in and out of the lineup throughout the 2017-18 season.

The two-time MVP first picked up the ankle injury in December, costing him 11 games. While he returned to the court, he has missed several games as the season progressed, only appearing in 50 of the team's 68 games to this point.

He remains effective while on the court, averaging 26.3 points per game with an effective field-goal percentage of 61.8, the second-highest of his career. He has improved his numbers from last season in points and rebounds per game, as well as three-point percentage and player efficiency rating.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, injuries have prevented the team from cruising to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference like the past few years. The red-hot Houston Rockets sit in first place entering Friday with a 54-14 record, two games ahead of Golden State.

However, it seems getting healthy for the postseason is the only real concern as the Warriors try to win their third NBA title in the last four years.