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Kristaps Porzingis is eager to play with Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are not ready to write off Stephen Curry. Neither is Draymond Green.
Curry has been sidelined since January 30 with patellofemoral pain syndrome and bone bruising in his right knee. Twenty-five consecutive games missed. A play-in tournament approaching. And a window for his return that Steve Kerr has openly acknowledged is closing fast.
Green, speaking on his YouTube channel, wanted to make one thing clear.
What Draymond Said About Curry
GettyStephen Curry and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.
The question of whether the Warriors might shut Curry down for the season has been gaining traction. Green addressed it directly.
“What I will tell you is, I don’t think Steph is getting shut down for the season,” Green said. “I do know that Steph is doing all that he can to get back. I do know that he’s progressing well on the court. And I do know that he’s very, very eager to get back out there.”
Green went further, making clear that Curry’s desire to return is not in question regardless of how many games remain.
“Whether it’s 1 regular season game, or 5 regular season games,” Green said, “Steph wants to play. And he’s going to do all that he can. He’s been doing all that he can and things are really looking up.”
It is the most optimistic public assessment of Curry’s status to come from inside the locker room. Green has been around long enough to know the difference between genuine progress and noise.
The numbers, meanwhile, tell the story of what Curry’s absence has cost this team. Golden State went 27-23 with Curry in the lineup this season. Since he went down on January 30, the Warriors are 9-16. The offense has dropped from 118.4 points per game to 109.1. Three-point shooting has fallen from 38.2 percent to 33.5. The gap between this team with and without him is not subtle.
Draymond Green on Steph Curry returning this season:
“What I will tell you is, I don’t think Steph is getting shut down for the season. I do know that Steph is doing all that he can to get back. I do know that he’s progressing well on the court. And I do know that he’s very,
The Bigger Question Hanging Over All of It
GettyStephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors.
Green’s optimism is welcome. But it raises a question the Warriors cannot avoid.
Even if Curry returns, what does a realistic best-case scenario actually look like? Golden State is 10th in the Western Conference at 36-39. The play-in path as a 10th seed requires two wins just to reach the playoffs. From there, they would likely face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs, two of the best teams in the league this season.
Kerr has been consistent on one point. Golden State is not bringing Curry back just to put him in a play-in game. He needs a runway of real games to get his body and rhythm right. With six regular season games remaining, that window is narrow but has not closed entirely.
The counterargument is straightforward. Curry is in the later stages of his career. Playoff opportunities do not come around forever. Sitting him out to preserve rest for next season is a logical position, but it is not one Curry himself appears willing to accept.
That much is clear from everything Green said.
Final Word for the Warriors
Green knows his teammate. When he says things are looking up, it means something.
Whether Curry returns for one game or five, the Warriors believe his presence changes what is possible. The play-in is not a death sentence with him healthy. Without him, the path is considerably darker.
He wants to play. He is putting in the work. The rest is up to his knee.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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