ATLANTA — Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry is getting closer to returning to the floor as he continues to recover from a runner’s knee injury in his right knee.
The Warriors announced before Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks that Curry, who has not played since Jan. 30, was making “good progress” in his return and was on track to partake in practice in the coming days. Warriors coach Steve Kerr reiterated that message Saturday, noting that Curry would take part in what the team hoped would be a 5-on-5 scrimmage with some players and some team staffers on Sunday before the Warriors’ flight to Dallas.
“He’s gonna play (Sunday) morning here before we go to Dallas,” Kerr said. “So, there will be whatever players and coaches who are available playing — and Rick (Celebrini) will evaluate him and then that’s the next step.”
Curry rejoined the Warriors on Saturday after leaving the team to be in Charlotte to see his father, Dell, get his No. 30 Hornets jersey retired. The 38-year-old was in good spirits going through his pregame routine prior to Saturday’s game, and Kerr was optimistic that if he feels good after Sunday’s workout, a return at some point later this week could be on the horizon.
“I think (Sunday’s) probably the big day,” Kerr said. “And we’ll know more at that point.”
Curry told The Athletic last Sunday in New York that he was still expecting to return before the end of the season. While there are fans who would rather Curry sat out the rest of the season to ensure he is ready for the start of next season, he still wants to play and was hopeful at that time that he could get a few weeks’ worth of games under his belt before the Warriors appear in the Play-In round in mid-April.
“That’s not who we are,” Curry said of the possibility of sitting out the rest of the season after the Warriors’ loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden last Sunday. “If we have stuff to play for, we play. So, I’m working to get back.”
After completing their six-game road trip in Dallas on Monday, the Warriors have home games against the Brooklyn Nets and the Washington Wizards on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.