NBA: Steph Curry joins Warriors for practice, vows March 1 return from broken hand.
Ahead of his projected March 1 return, he takes part in scrimmage
SAN FRANCISCO >> When the Warriors gathered for practice on Saturday morning, Steve Kerr told the team the good news.
Stephen Curry, for the first time since suffering a broken left hand in late October, would be a full-contact participant in the scrimmage. His teammates celebrated with an uproar of cheers, Kerr said, and then got to work.
A few minutes after scrimmaging with teammates and assistant coaches, Curry told assembled media that he, indeed, aims to return for the
Warriors’ game against the Wizards on March 1 at Chase Center.
“It’s always been March 1,” he said.
Over the past four months, Curry, 31, has undergone two surgeries and an arduous rehab process to recover from a broken bone in his left hand he suffered when Suns center Aron Baynes landed on him during Golden State’s Oct. 30 loss to Phoenix.
Though Curry has had multiple ankle surgeries during his career, he said this has been a new process as he has had to regain strength in his off shooting hand. He said there is still lingering nerve damage that could affect how he plays.
“I’m getting used to what the new normal is,” Curry said. “It definitely feels different than the right but you can try to get it to the point where when you’re actually playing basketball, you don’t think about it.
“Whether it feels all the way the same or not, it really doesn’t matter as long as I’m not worried about the things I’m trying to do.”
Curry is right-handed, but often used his left hand to execute a collection of ambidextrous floaters and layups near the rim. For someone whose game is predicated on touch, getting the full use out of that left hand will be key to him returning to an Mvp-level.
A March 1 return would not only give Curry 22 games to regain that confidence and feel, but also valuable time to play alongside several new teammates.
That includes Andrew Wiggins, acquired in a tradedeadline deal for D’angelo Russell and two others, who and has impressed.
“I’ve been watching and been seeing what he’s capable of on a nightly basis,” Curry said of Wiggins. “He’s a walking 20 points, for sure. And the intangibles he can bring in terms of the speed, the cut
ting, his length on defense, all those things, it’ll be a fun process to build that chemistry.”
With Wiggins in the lineup, Curry and Klay Thompson can reestablish their successful backcourt pairing.
“You look at our lineup and it obviously
makes sense in terms of the position that he plays and the skillset that he brings,” Curry said.
For Wiggins, Curry, a three-time champion, will be the most decorated teammate he’s ever played with.
“He was great,” Wiggins said of Curry. “Making shots, making plays. … He’s a game-changer. Once he steps on the floor, the game changes.”
Since Curry last played, Golden State traded six players, lost 41 of
52 games and shifted its focus to building for next season. Curry’s return will provide the organization with a valuable sample size of information as they approach a pivotal offseason.
“It’ll be good for our young guys to feel what it’s like to play with him, and vise-versa,” Kerr said. “A big part of the final third of the season is everyone playing together, acclimating together. These games matter.”