Steph Curry is set to return tonight for the Golden State Warriors against the LA Lakers. The two-time NBA MVP last played on February 4 in a win against the Dallas Mavericks. He left the game late in the third quarter after injuring his leg.
Curry played just 26 minutes, but still had a game-high 21 points with six rebounds and seven assists. Since then, he has missed the last 11 games of the defending NBA champions. Despite his absence, the Warriors have managed to stay afloat by finishing 7-4 in that stretch.
After All-Star weekend, “Chef Curry” and the Warriors set March 5 as their return date, barring any hiccups. Fortunately, he has progressed in his rehabilitation as scheduled and expected. Curry is scheduled to don the Warriors jersey against the LA Lakers.
What is Steph Curry’s status tonight against the LA Lakers?
Steph Curry has been officially declared likely when they visit Crypto.com Arena to take on the LA Lakers. Tonight will be his fourth meeting this season with the Hollywood team with a 2-1 lead. The Lakers will be playing without injured superstar LeBron James, so Golden State could end up drawing their head-to-head matchup.
Curry has played just 38 of the Golden State Warriors’ 64 games due to a variety of injuries. He also suffered a shoulder injury on December 14 that sidelined him for 13 games. The NBA’s all-time 3-point king played 10 games after that injury before landing on the aforementioned Dallas Mavericks post-game injury report.
What is Steph Curry’s impact on the Golden State Warriors?
Steph Curry was the one bright spot in the Golden State Warriors’ early-season struggles, particularly on the road. The reigning NBA Finals MVP hasn’t had a hangover since he destroyed the Boston Celtics in last year’s championship series.
He was playing at an MVP level before injuries started to slow him down. Without him or with him committed, the Warriors are a different team.
Heading into tonight’s matchup against the LA Lakers, the Bay Area team has racked up five straight wins. As good and as competitive as they’ve been without Curry’s latest injury, they just go anywhere without the deadliest shooter in NBA history.
Steve Kerr’s unit has an offensive rating of 116.1 when Steph Curry is on the floor this season. It slides a bit to 115.4 without it. The difference seems minuscule, especially since the Golden State Warriors’ recent rise in form.
Yet for everyone in the NBA, the Warriors’ repeat title bid rests on the health of Davidson’s diminutive guard. Golden State may still be competitive without him, but they can kiss their chances of a back-to-back run without him.
You may also be interested in reading: ‘He’s a once-in-a-lifetime basketball player’ – LeBron James acknowledges the greatness of Steph Curry as the 2 legends continue to make and break more records