Steph Curry to come off bench for Game 4 vs. Nuggets, ‘very close’ to
playing without restrictions
The Warriors are sticking to the same starting lineup for Game 4 against
the Denver Nuggets as the three previous games in the first-round series.
>DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 21: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30)
dribbles against Denver Nuggets’ Austin Rivers (25) in the second
quarter of Game 3 of the team’s NBA basketball first-round playoff
series at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Thursday, April 21, 2022.
(Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
>DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 21: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30)
dribbles against Denver Nuggets’ Austin Rivers (25) in the second
quarter of Game 3 of the team’s NBA basketball first-round playoff
series at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Thursday, April 21, 2022.
(Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
By MADELINE KENNEY | mkenney@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: April 24, 2022 at 12:06 p.m. | UPDATED: April 24, 2022 at
5:50 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/04/24/steph-curry-to-come-off-bench-for-game-4-vs-nuggets/

DENVER — Stephen Curry will be coming off the bench Sunday for the
fourth consecutive game, but it “very close” to being able to play
without restrictions.

The Warriors are sticking to the same starting lineup for Game 4 against
the Denver Nuggets as their three previous contests in the first-round
series.

Jordan Poole will start again in Curry’s place, a role he embraced
scoring a combined 86 points on an efficient 66.7% shooting in his first
three playoff games. Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and
Kevon Looney started on Thursday night as the Warriors try to sweep the
Nuggets.

Curry remains under a minutes restriction as he works his way back from
a foot injury that sidelined him for a month. He played 31 minutes in
Thursday’s win, the most he’s played since his return before Sunday,
tallying 27 points, six assists and three rebounds.

Asked how he felt after Game 3, Curry said he “feels great.”

“We’ll see what happens next game but hopefully some more minutes to
work with but everything is moving in the right direction in terms of
the body and foot and all that so keep building.”

Coach Steve Kerr said Curry could soon be cleared to play without
restrictions.

“He’s very close to being unlimited,” Kerr said before the game. But
“there are variables involved. So it’s not as simple as tonight he plays
35 or whatever. But he’s continuing to progress, and we’ll just we’ll
keep playing him and monitoring him as he goes.”

In Game 1 Saturday, Curry showed some normal signs of rust after a
month-long absence as he entered the game midway through the first
quarter and played under a minutes restriction. He didn’t take a shot
until the second quarter and finished with 16 points on a shoddy 5-of-13
shooting (or 38.5%) in about 22 minutes.

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Curry looked much more like himself in Game 2 Monday. He led the
Warriors to their seventh straight victory, scoring 34 points off the
bench on 12-of-17 shooting in 23 minutes, making him the first player in
the shot clock era to score as many as 30 points in 23 or fewer minutes
in a playoff game, according to Elias. Curry also made five 3-pointers
and recorded four assists in three rebounds.

Curry said it was his decision to come off the bench, which he came to
after watching Thompson return from career-altering injuries. But not
starting has made Curry have to adjust his pregame routine.

In his eighth career playoff run, this is the first time Curry has
started off the bench in consecutive postseason games.

--
Madeline Kenney | Warriors reporter