For the Golden State Warriors, there are any number of X-factors and ifs-ands-buts that could, ultimately, decide how the upcoming NBA season unfolds. Already, we have seen one–the health of Kristaps Porzingis–go terribly wrong, as Porzingis never made it so far as training camp despite signing a two-year, $40 million contract three months earlier. We’ve seen another–the play of rookie Yaxel Lendeborg–go incredibly right, as he is averaging 21.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists in his first four games. But in the end, there is no factor more important to this season than the right knee of star guard Stephen Curry.
Curry, of course, missed two months of last season with patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as runner’s knee, a condition that can’t really be fixed with surgery but can be managed with rest. If the Warriors can keep another bout of runner’s knee at bay this year, there is a fighting chance for the team to storm into the playoffs once Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody return from their own knee injuries. If Curry can’t give the Dubs 65 or so games, though, this season might not have much chance.
Warriors Managing Injury Early in Season
Curry has played three games so far, with the Warriors finally breaking through for their first win of the season on Monday in Denver. He is averaging just 26.0 minutes, but is scoring 23.7 points in those minutes. That’s part of the kid-gloves approach that the training staff is taking to nurse Curry through the early parts of this season.
After the win, Curry acknowledged it still does not quite feel normal, the way he is being coddled.
“Feeling good,” he said of the knee. “It’s been weird because I still haven’t gotten to the 30-minute mark. But that’s not because of an inability to do it, that’s because of game situations and obviously the plan, the plan to build up. So, if I’m asked to do that or if the calls for that, I will be ready. But we haven’t gotten there yet.”
Stephen Curry: ‘Just Stay Locked Into the Flow’
Curry had the rare perfect night for the Warriors on Monday, with 8-for-8 shooting from the field, including 3-for-3 from the 3-point line, plus a 5-for-5 showing at the free-throw line. He finished with 24 points.
Curry only took one shot in the first half, and asked if that was his mindset–if he approaches games differently as his career moves forward.
“I did not go into the game thinking that is what it was going to be,” Curry said. “But I did go into it with the mindset of not trying to force anything, get the ball moving, I knew I was going to be in a lot of pick and roll situations with Nikola Jokic and they were probably going to be trapping so, try to get off it early.
“We got a lot of great shots in the first half, and I only got one off because of kind of a breakdown they had. In the second half, we made a slight adjustment on our play calls, so I knew I would have some moments. But you kinda just stay locked into the flow of the game, meaning you have to see how the defense is guarding and not force things.”
Warriors’ Stephen Curry Updates ‘Weird’ Injury Comeback