DALLAS — Stephen Curry will be available for tournament play if his ailing right knee allows, as Golden State coach Steve Kerr rejected the idea that the Warriors would sit its star player without a guaranteed spot in the playoffs.
Kerr said before Golden State’s game in Dallas on Monday night that Curry’s scheduled participation in practice the day before had been postponed by the medical staff. A six-game road trip against the Mavericks comes to a close, and the Warriors will decide what’s next for Curry after they return home.
“It’s all just part of the rehab and all the different tests he does,” Kerr said. “It was only postponed for a day or two.”
The Warriors are in 10th place in the Western Conference, and if they finish the season in that last spot in the Play-In Championship, they will have to win two games on the road to reach the playoffs.
Curry has not played since January 30 because he suffers from patellofemoral pain syndrome and a bruised knee. Golden State entered Monday 23-16 with Curry and 10-22 without him, including a 1-8 stretch that dropped the Warriors to 6-15 since his last injury.
“We’re not chasing a place to play. We’re directly involved in playing no matter what we do,” Kerr said. “The bottom line is, if Steve is healthy, he’s going to play because that’s what we’re here for. The chance to get into the playoffs is a big deal for us, and it’s a big deal for Steve.”
Meanwhile, Kerr said that if there was any risk of long-term knee injury, Curry would not play. The 38-year-old leads the Warriors in scoring with 27.2 points per game.
Kerr evaded the question of whether Curry was disappointed that his return to training had been postponed for at least two more days.
Golden State initially hoped he would return right after the All-Star break, and Curry missed this year’s All-Star Game.
“It’s been a long journey,” Kerr said. “He’s dying to get out there for sure.”
