Steph Curry to start Game 5? Warriors should consider it
Warriors star Steph Curry had another strong bench performance vs.
Nuggets on Sunday
>DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 24: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30)
celebrates his 3-point basket and a foul against the Denver Nuggets in
the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the team’s NBA basketball first-round
playoff series at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Sunday, April 24,
2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
>DENVER, COLORADO – APRIL 24: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30)
celebrates his 3-point basket and a foul against the Denver Nuggets in
the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the team’s NBA basketball first-round
playoff series at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on Sunday, April 24,
2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
By MADELINE KENNEY | mkenney@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: April 25, 2022 at 5:00 a.m. | UPDATED: April 25, 2022 at 7:18
a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/04/25/steph-curry-to-start-game-5-warriors-should-consider-it/

DENVER — The Warriors have been putting off the inevitable over the last
week as Stephen Curry worked his way back from a foot injury that
sidelined him for a month.

Curry, who came off the bench for the fourth consecutive game Sunday,
previously said it was his decision to not start — one that he came to
after watching Klay Thompson return earlier this season from injuries —
so he didn’t have to sit for long periods of time between playing.

But as Curry put together another outstanding off-the-bench performance
in Game 4 on Sunday, it’s clear that the eight-time All-Star is more
than ready to be re-inserted back into the starting lineup.

And the Warriors, who lead the best-of-seven series 3-1, should
seriously consider it, beginning with Game 5 on Wednesday.

After a slow start where he missed his first five shots, perhaps in part
due to the fact he was put in earlier than expected with Klay Thompson
running into early foul trouble, Curry scored a team-high 33 points, his
second highest scoring performance of the postseason, while shooting
43.5% from the field in 37 minutes, the most he’s played in the
postseason yet.

Curry was especially clutch down the stretch, tallying 15 of the
Warriors’ 32 fourth-quarter points. That includes a stepback jump shot
that gave the Warriors a two-point lead with 1:21 remaining in the game.

“Everything I’ve been doing has been progressing in the right
direction,” said Curry, who finished the third quarter and played the
entire fourth without getting fatigued. “My wind was solid. So I’m
excited about where I’m at and looking forward to the next game.”

Coach Steve Kerr said Curry was “very close” to being cleared to play
without restrictions before Sunday’s game. His 37 minutes — which Kerr
said he was “perfectly comfortable” with — makes it clear that Curry has
enough stamina to return to the starting five, which could happen as
soon as Wednesday.

Before that happens, however, Kerr will have to make a very difficult
decision: Who will Curry replace in the starting lineup?

The two likely options are breakout star Jordan Poole or iron man Kevon
Looney.

Poole has made a convincing argument to remain in the starting lineup as
he’s been one of the Warriors’ most reliable scorers over the last seven
weeks. He set a high standard in his first three playoff games, scoring
a combined 86 points on an efficient 66.7% shooting over that span. But
Poole struggled in Game 4 with the Nuggets’ stifling defense. He scored
just 11 points — his lowest output since Feb. 27 — on a shaky 3-of-10
shooting.

Moving Poole to the bench could impact the third-year guard’s confidence
and rhythm, though he’d never admit that. After starting in place of the
injured Thompson at the beginning of the season, Poole struggled when
his role changed with the three-time champions’ return.

Meanwhile, Looney being moved out of the starting lineup would mean the
Warriors are going to deploy their small-but-mighty three-guard lineup
of Curry, Poole, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green, to start
the game. That lineup has proven to be effective in this series, though
there’s still a concern about its defensive identity.

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The decision will come down to doing what the coaching staff believes
will give the Warriors their best shot at winning.

“Whatever we need to do to win the game we’re going to do that,” Kerr
said. “And there’s no time for hurt feelings, just win the game.”

After Sunday’s game, Kerr wouldn’t tip his hand on whether Curry will
return to the starting lineup in this series.

“We’ll talk about that the next couple of days,” he said. “We’ll kind of
regroup [Tuesday] and figure out what we’re going to do for Wednesday.”

As for what Curry thinks about starting Game 5?

“I think I’m going to sit out the first 11 minutes and then play the
last 37 minutes straight, see how that works,” Curry said with a smile
and a chuckle.

He’s surely joking … or is he?

--
Madeline Kenney | Warriors reporter