SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry acknowledged that it’ll be a “little longer” before he attempts to return from his persistent right knee issue, telling ESPN’s Malika Andrews during an in-game interview Saturday night that he hasn’t advanced to court work.
“This is a weird one,” Curry said. “It’s kind of unpredictable how it’ll heal.”
The Warriors lost 129-101 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. Curry missed his 10th consecutive game because of patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as “runner’s knee,” which typically consists of swelling and pain around the kneecap.
The Warriors were initially optimistic that Curry could return right after the All-Star break, but he had a setback in a workout during that hiatus and told the training staff he wasn’t ready for live work when he returned to the facility.
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The Warriors shut him down from court work for 10 days. He was spotted in the locker room pregame Saturday doing weight-bearing squats on his right knee. The team will provide a status update Sunday. It is expected that he will miss at least a handful more games.
“It’s going to be a little longer,” Curry said. “Right now, with this one, it’s about each day, can you stack good days? I’ve done that. Hopefully, they can unleash me on the court soon and hopefully, get back sooner than later.”
The Warriors are 31-29 after Saturday’s loss, in the eighth seed and appear destined for the play-in tournament. Curry has repeatedly said behind the scenes that he wants to return to the court and help the Warriors reach the playoffs, but hurdles remain.
“Trying to stay in shape, strengthen everything else around the body, knowing at this stage, once you get back, it’s a full sprint to the playoffs,” Curry said. “Once I get back on the court, it’s a little bit of a pain tolerance thing. But it’s just something you don’t want lingering because it can get worse.”
Curry’s co-star, Jimmy Butler III, tore his ACL in January and is out for the season. The Warriors’ trade deadline acquisition, Kristaps Porzingis, has missed four consecutive games because of an illness and has played only 17 minutes since the transaction.
