SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry’s face lit up with fierce joy as he converted a layup while drawing a foul in his return to the court after being sidelined for more than two months with a knee injury. The Warriors superstar brought back his signature shimmy celebration, dancing after getting knocked to the floor on the drive past his former teammate Kevin Durant.
Fans arrived early at Chase Center during the regular season’s final stretch just to witness Curry’s pre-game warm-up routine, with phones raised high — including by injured teammate Jimmy Butler — to record the special moments as everyone suddenly recognizes that No. 30 isn’t invincible, despite how it once appeared.
However, this season’s window may be closing quickly. The injury-riddled Golden State Warriors face steep odds, even with Curry attempting to rescue their campaign on his problematic right knee.
The two-time MVP and his squad confront a challenging path just to reach the playoffs: sitting as the tenth seed in the Western Conference, they must win two consecutive elimination games away from home to secure the eighth seed and earn a matchup with defending champion and top-seeded Oklahoma City.
Golden State faces the Clippers in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.
“Until we get bounced from whatever this is, we’re going to approach it the same way: dignity, competitiveness and confidence that you can win any game,” Curry said. “That’s just the mentality we have.”
Curry never contemplated shutting things down and resting for the remainder of the season, despite enduring difficult moments alone during rehabilitation.
He was determined to return and compete. The veteran understands these chances won’t continue indefinitely, having celebrated his 38th birthday last month while wrapping up a 17th NBA campaign that has fallen far short of expectations.
However, Curry’s presence brings renewed optimism.
“There’s a momentum and a confidence,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s Steph Curry for a reason.”
Guard Gary Payton II described the Warriors’ prospects this way: “Whatever we put our mind to — now that Superman’s back.”
Teammate Butler suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during January’s game against his former Heat squad, requiring surgical repair. A lengthy roster of other injured players has also plagued the team. This meant chemistry was missing throughout much of the campaign. The Warriors sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline, but the center also battled health issues that restricted his playing time.
“There’s a level of dignity and a level of competition that we can’t run from, the way that we approach things,” Curry said. “The fact that I have a chance to play and the fact that I’m out there, that comes with expectations. Whether you achieve them or not, the energy you put into it makes you who you are — whether you win or you lose. You’re chasing championships or not.”
Draymond Green has offered some stability to Kerr’s lineup, participating in 68 games. Green and Curry have won four titles together under Kerr, but they all understand their window is narrowing.
Before Curry’s 29-point showing against Durant and the Rockets in a narrow defeat last weekend during his comeback, Kerr praised his star as “the greatest face of a franchise in any sport I’ve ever seen.”
“He’s one of the most beloved players in league history, Bay Area history, any sport,” Kerr added, “so tonight’s a special night because we’re reminded how lucky we’ve been and how lucky we still are.”
Curry entered as a substitute to thunderous standing ovations during his first two home appearances before rejoining the starting lineup for Friday night’s defeat at Sacramento. Prior to the Houston matchup, he hadn’t competed since Jan. 30, sitting out 27 contests.
The Warriors posted a 9-18 record during his absence due to patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Simply having Curry back and physically ready means everything regardless of his role — for the on-court product, certainly, but also for the atmosphere and spirit in the locker room.
“He makes the game a lot easier for everybody,” Green said. “Things just kind of fit into their normal spots. The familiarity looked more like the team I’m accustomed to seeing. The spacing is different, he obviously draws two or three people, so just having different reads to make, different things opening up because he’s on the floor I think is probably the biggest difference. And also the confidence level of our group is probably the biggest difference. He comes on the court you just think you can win.”
Curry’s explanation for wanting to compete remains straightforward.
“I love playing basketball,” he said, “it’s what I get paid to do.
“… Our season’s been different than we expected, but the fact that there is something to still play for gives all of us a lot of confidence down the stretch to make something out it, and I want to be a part of that.”
