Warriors notebook: Stephen Curry probable to play Game 1 vs. Nuggets
Golden State Warriors host the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the Western
Conference quarterfinals on Saturday at Chase Center
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – April 14: Golden State Warrior Stephen
Curry works out at the team’s practice facility, Thursday, April 14,
2022, at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area
News Group)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – April 14: Golden State Warrior Stephen
Curry works out at the team’s practice facility, Thursday, April 14,
2022, at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area
News Group)
By CURTIS PASHELKA | cpashelka@bayareanewsgroup.com and MADELINE KENNEY
| mkenney@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: April 15, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. | UPDATED: April 15, 2022 at 3:07
p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/04/15/nba-playoffs-stephen-curry-probable-to-play-game-1-vs-nuggets/

SAN FRANCISCO – Stephen Curry remains on track to play Saturday when the
Warriors host the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the Western Conference
quarterfinals at Chase Center, coach Steve Kerr said.

Curry has not played since March 16 as he missed the last 12 games of
the regular season recovering from a sprained ligament and bone bruise
in his left foot.

“Things have gone really well, so we’re expecting him to play,” Kerr
said Friday. “We’ll see how he’s feeling tomorrow, but coming off the
absence and the injury. The only thing I’ll say is he’s not playing 38
minutes.”

Curry played 18 minutes — divided into three six-minute segments — in
the Warriors’ scrimmage Thursday, passing a major hurdle in his effort
to return for the start of the postseason against a Nuggets team that
won three of four meetings with Golden State this year.

“I’m not going to give you a number because the number is in the system.
There are some variables in there,” Kerr said. “We’re planning on
playing him if everything goes well and we’ll bring him along slowly
from there.”

Kerr said he’ll wait to see how Curry’s body reacts to playing and will
consult with the Warriors’ training staff before determining the path
forward for the rest of the series, which continues with Game 2 in San
Francisco on Monday.

“Everything’s gone really smoothly, so we expect him to play tomorrow
and I’ll talk to the training staff each day based on how he responds,”
Kerr said, “and then we will act accordingly.”

Kerr said he has determined what his starting lineup will be, but wasn’t
willing to reveal who the first five players on the floor will be for
the start of the series.

Curry said Thursday that he’d like to play as many minutes as possible.
In 112 career playoff games, Curry has averaged close to 38 minutes and
26.5 points per game.

“That’s why he is who he is. He’s a living legend,” Warriors guard
Andrew Wiggins said of Curry’s desire to remain on the floor. “He’s one
of the best-conditioned athletes in the world and works so hard. There’s
no doubt in my mind or anyone’s mind that he’s going to be ready and
dominant.”

“When a player with that much history and that much of a track record,
you kind of know what you can expect,” Kerr said. “It doesn’t always
play out perfectly, but knowing Steph, knowing his history, knowing his
attention to detail, the work he puts in, I have every reason to believe
that this comeback will be successful.”

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In three games against the Nuggets this season, Curry averaged 38.7
minutes and 27.3 points. He was a combined 11-for-33 from the 3-point line.

“There’s no real concern I’ll be a step slower, I’ll be out there
exhausted in the first two or three minutes whenever you do get back
because I have been through it, I know the work that goes into it,”
Curry said Thursday. “I can push myself once I get that green light to
get back on the floor.”

- Tall task (like 6-foot-11 tall)

It’s no secret that the biggest advantage the Nuggets have in this
series is the reigning MVP Nikola Jokic. Stopping him will be key for
the undersized Warriors, who have just one active player, Nemanja
Bjelica, who’s taller than 6-foot-9.

Draymond Green and Kevon Looney will be most responsible for limiting
Jokic’s damage.

The main keys to conquering the Serbian beast?

Be prepared, be physical, stay positive.

“Going against a guy like that, he’s going to have his moments where he
goes on the run where he’s making a lot of shots and making tough shots
or making crazy passes, but you gotta stick to the game plan and stick
to your guns,” Kevon Looney said.

Easier said than done.

- Closing time

How Kerr will decide to close out games remains up in the air.

Green, Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins seem like locks, but the
final spot is up for grabs. Will it be the blossoming Jordan Poole? Or
what about the reliable Otto Porter Jr., iron man Looney or former
Finals MVP Andre Iguodala?

It’s hard to say. Kerr welcomes the friendly competition.

And while he has an idea of what the final unit will look like, Kerr
said he reserves the right to change it on a moment’s notice. It is the
playoffs after all.

“Whoever’s playing the best, whatever group is playing the best will
finish the game, and then the next game starts and it could be different
the following game,” Kerr said. “It’s up to everybody to not only accept
that but to embrace it in the spirit of just winning the damn game.”

--
Curtis Pashelka | San Jose Sharks reporter
Curtis Pashelka is the San Jose Sharks reporter for the Bay Area News
Group. Prior to covering the Sharks, Curtis served as the high school
sports editor for the East Bay. He also worked as a general assignment
reporter covering motorsports, golf and college basketball, and as a
backup writer on the A's, Giants and Warriors. He started at the
organization in 2000 and spent close to eight years covering high school
sports.