Stephen Curry Status Remains Unclear for Warriors vs. Pelicans After Knee Injury

With one day left before their second-round series against the New Orleans Pelicans tips off, the Golden State Warriors still don't know if Stephen Curry will be ready to play on Saturday. 

One thing is for sure, though: Progress is being made.

Steve Kerr announced on Thursday that the guard was officially questionable for Game 1 after he participated in full-contact practice this week. One day later, the question of whether he'll be on the court Saturday remains unanswered.

However, Curry made it known on Friday that his knee is feeling better, per the San Francisco Chronicle's Connor Letourneau: 

"I'm getting there, for sure. I've done a lot in the last two weeks, especially with my feet, getting back to movements that I may do in a game, and trying to build a tolerance and an intensity for what that means.

"My knee feels pretty good. I don't have any pain. I've been doing the things that I've been doing. As I try to think about what it means to get back into not just game shape, my normal minutes I usually play, but on top of that, we're talking about the playoffs. In the second round against a team like New Orleans, you've got to be into all of that."

Curry has been sidelined since spraining his left MCL on March 23, the same day he was returning from a six-game absence as the result of an ankle injury.

There's no doubt Curry is itching to get back on the court with his teammates—but the Warriors don't want to rush him back before he's ready. 

"It's still to be determined," Curry said, per Letourneau. "They come up with those snazzy words for a reason: doubtful, questionable, probable. I've learned a lot about what those words mean this year. But yeah, just trying to work my way up, do what I need to do, and do whatever (head performance therapist) Chelsea (Lane), the training staff and Coach needs to see to get me back out there."

Of course, the team has not proven that it needs the five-time All-Star just yet, giving him more time to recover.

Golden State has managed to continue winning even without Curry. The Warriors had the second-best record in the Western Conference despite the two-time NBA MVP playing in just 51 games, and they made quick work of the San Antonio Spurs in the first round, needing just five games to advance.

New Orleans looks like a force to be reckoned with following a sweep of the 3-seed Portland Trail Blazers. Anthony Davis (33.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 1.8 steals) led the way with an incredible performance, but it wasn't a one-man show. Jrue Holiday (27.8 points, 6.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds) and Rajon Rondo (11.3 points, 13.3 assists and 7.5 rebounds) helped carry the load.

The competition will only get stiffer from here on out. While Golden State may want to give Curry as much time to recover as possible, the results of the games could play a factor on when he returns to action. For now, the Warriors will have to wait and see when he will be healthy enough to play.