SAN FRANCISCO — The longer Steph Curry remains sidelined, the louder the ticks on the clock grow inside the Warriors’ building.
Time is running out to get the Golden State superstar the buildup he would need to return for the play-in tournament, Steve Kerr acknowledged before Friday’s game against the Wizards.
“We need to give him a runway if this is gonna work, and we are running out of games. That’s fair to say,” the Warriors coach said, acknowledging that among the staff “it’s actually a conversation now.”
After hosting Washington, the Warriors have eight games left in the regular season. They clinched their spot in the play-in and are on track to visit the Trail Blazers in the 9-10 matchup.
“We’re not bringing him back, like, for the play-in game,” Kerr said. “He needs to play some games.”
Curry, 38, missed his 24th consecutive game with runner’s knee, and while Kerr said the injury has “frustrated” him at times, he added that Curry was “in a good place now” and currently “encouraged.”
The Warriors provided the latest update on Curry’s status before Friday’s game, saying he was making “good progress” and was expected to participate in a 5-on-5 scrimmage “in the coming days.”
“The whole idea is that if he’s healthy, he’s going to play,” Kerr said. “If he’s not healthy, or if there’s any risk at all, then he won’t play.”
Kerr said Curry was still working with the mindset that he’ll return this season. However, the longer Curry’s absence draws on, the less likely it is that happens.
Warriors injury updates
Golden State has been so beaten up recently that the update on Curry came with status reports on three other injured players, including his younger brother, Seth Curry.
The two brothers have yet to share the floor this season because of their various ailments. The younger Curry has at least returned to live on-court work, according to the team, after missing his eighth straight game with a groin strain.
Al Horford, who also missed his eighth straight game with a calf strain, has started “light on-court workouts,” according to the team. The 39-year-old is set to be reevaluated in a week, ruling him out for at least three more contests
Without Horford or Quinten Post, the Warriors have been lacking size. The Dutch 7-footer is still considered day to day with right foot soreness, which left the Warriors down two big men for the third game in a row.
