Kerr keeps Curry off court for Game 1
Stephen Curry tried to convince Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr to let him play Saturday in Game 1 of the Warriors second-round playoff series against New Orleans.
Curry said he felt great and that he was ready to go — but Kerr overruled him.
It’s tough to blame Kerr considering Curry had just participated in his first fiveon-five scrimmage Friday after having been sidelined for five weeks because of a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee. Curry was listed as questionable heading into Saturday’s game, but Kerr decided to play it safe.
“I don’t think one scrimmage is enough even though he feels great,” Kerr said. “He wants to play and he pleaded his case. So we’re going to sit him (Saturday) and he’s very likely to play in Game 2.”
At Saturday’s shootaround, Curry told Kerr that he didn’t experience any setbacks after Friday’s scrimmage. But still, Kerr wasn’t quite comfortable letting him play.
“I liked his answer, it’s just we have to protect him from himself and his own competitive desire,” Kerr said. “So (General Manager) Bob (Myers) and (head performance therapist) Chelsea (Lane) and I conferred with him and then we put our heads together and made this decision.”
Even though Curry has been very anxious to return to the court, Kerr said Curry nodded and didn’t give him any grief when he told him he’d miss another playoff game.
“He wasn’t happy but he understood,” Kerr said. “And so we move forward.”
Curry sustained the knee injury in a game against Atlanta on March 23 after JaVale McGee fell onto his leg. Curry missed the final 10 games of the regular season and the Warriors’ firstround playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, which the Warriors won in five games.
After Friday’s practice, Curry said he didn’t have any pain in the knee. He added that his confidence in his mind and his body was “getting there.” Apparently, Kerr didn’t believe it made the appropriate jump over a day.
It’s been a rough season for Curry, who sustained four right ankle injuries before suffering the knee injury. But when he was able to play, he excelled, averaging 26.4 points on 49.5 percent shooting from the field and 42.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc over 51 of a possible 82 regular season games.
The Pelicans caught a break not having to face Curry in Game 1. But Alvin Gentry said the team has been preparing to play against Curry ever since they swept Portland out of their first-round playoff series.
“He will play,” Gentry said. “It’s not like he’s going to miss the entire series.”
His return will likely come Tuesday. And before then, Curry will now have two extra days to simulate game-play before going up against a very fast and athletic Pelicans team that loves to run.
Kerr said that Curry could have a minutes restriction Tuesday and, if so, he’d consider bringing him in off the bench for timing purposes — but that’s all too early to determine now.
All things considered, Kerr said he will feel much more comfortable putting the two-time MVP back on the court after those two extra practices.
“When you’ve been out five weeks and want to play in the playoffs, I don’t think one scrimmage is enough, even though he feels great,” Kerr said.