Plan to come off bench was Curry's
DENVER >> Stephen Curry's only goal when he went down with a foot injury last month was to be ready in time for Game 1 of the playoffs.
He didn't put much thought into his usage or how he'd play as he worked his way back. After returning from knee injuries twice before during the playoffs, Curry understood it might take some time to find his rhythm.
Prior to the start of Thursday's game in Denver, Curry said that he was still experiencing some mild but manageable discomfort in his injured foot, but feeling well overall. As a result, the Warriors planned to increase his minutes against the Nuggets.
“Every game (I'm) feeling more and more like myself and trying to maintain a level of intensity it takes to do what I need to do out there on the floor (in a) playoff-type atmosphere, so I'm ready to hopefully take a stride,” Curry said after shootaround.
Coach Steve Kerr chose not to reveal a ballpark figure for what Curry's playing time could be, but anticipated that if the circumstances required Golden State to lean on Curry, his minutes would be “elevated” from the 23 he played in the Warriors' Game 2 win.
In Game 1 on Saturday, Curry showed some normal signs of rust after a monthlong 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 5-of-13 shooting (38.5%) in about 22 minutes.
Curry looked much more like himself in Game 2 on 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 Sports Bureau. Curry also made five 3-pointers and had four assists in three rebounds.
Curry said it was his decision to come off the bench, which he came to after watching Klay Thompson return in January from a pair career-altering injuries. Not starting made Curry adjust his pregame routine.
Entering games as a sixth man required a different approach mentally, Curry said. In his first game back, he could barely contain himself and his legs were shaking like crazy as he waited for his number to be called.
“Switched up a couple of things in my pregame routine so I'm not all juiced up on adrenaline and then go sit down for five minutes and then have to rev the engines back up,” Curry said. “But after the first game and just missing four weeks and getting back there on the floor, it did come back pretty naturally.”
Curry changed some of his pregame activities to try to delay the adrenaline rush. He looked much more like himself in Game 2, which he considered a big step forward in his recovery skill-wise “in terms of just feeling comfortable with the ball in my hands and rhythm and all that stuff.
“I knew I would come back pretty quick and hopefully it lasts but definitely felt a little more locked in on that front,” he said.
The two-time league MVP has made it clear he's willing to do whatever it takes to win, even if it means coming off the bench as he works his way back from a sprained ligament and bone bruise in his left foot.
“If you're worried about anything other than trying to win the game, then you're approaching it wrong to begin with,” Curry said.