SAN FRANCISCO – A Warriors team scratching and clawing for better playoff seeding will be without its superstar for much of the postseason push.
Steph Curry will be re-evaluated in 10 days as he continues to recover from inflammation in his right knee, Golden State announced in a press release on Sunday afternoon. It will keep him out another five games, and the earliest he could return is a home game on March 13 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Warriors embark on a six-game trip immediately after, including dates with the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons, three of the East’s top teams.
The extension of Curry’s absence was not a surprise after Curry’s interview with ESPN the day before during the Warriors’ 129-101 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. He said he was “feeling better” and that “there has been progress,” but made it obvious that it will be a while before he suits up for the Warriors again.
“I haven’t gotten on the court yet,” Curry said on the national broadcast. “But (I’m) just trying to stay in shape, strengthen everything else around my body knowing that at this stage, once you get back, it’s kind of a full sprint to the playoffs.”
Curry also noted that even when he does return, he does not expect to be 100 percent.
“Once I get back on the court, it is a little bit of a pain tolerance thing,” Curry said, before adding, “but it’s just something that you don’t want to have lingering because it can get worse.”
Curry has missed the past 10 games since leaving during the third quarter of the Pistons game on Jan. 31.
He is averaging 27.2 points per game in 39 games played, but because he will not play in at least 65 games, Curry will not be eligible for the All-NBA or any other seasonal award even if he does return to the court before the postseason.
The Warriors are 31-29 and slotted as the eighth seed, a full 2.5 games ahead of Portland in ninth and three games above the 10th-seeded Clippers in the final play-in spot.
Golden State will host the Clippers on Monday evening (7 p.m., NBC Sports Bay Area).
Richard injury update
Rookie guard Will Richard left Saturday’s game against the Lakers after spraining his ankle in the first quarter and will miss Monday’s game against the Clippers.
Richard has played in 30 of the Warriors’ last 31 games, solidifying his place as a role player while the lineup has fluctuated around him due to injury. He had scored in double digits three of the last four games before going down Saturday, including 21 points as a starter in Wednesday’s short-handed win in Memphis.
Coach Steve Kerr said Richard’s ankle was taped up postgame in the locker room Saturday.
Porzingis remains out
Kristaps Porzingis was also ruled out for Monday’s game as he deals with an illness.
Porzingis has played just one game for the Warriors since they acquired him early last month in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. He returned from an Achilles injury for Golden State’s game Feb. 19 against the Boston Celtics, but has missed the four games since with an illness.
The 30-year-old center has missed time with illness dating to last season, his final one with the Celtics, but the Warriors have indicated this new illness is unrelated.
Gary Payton II is also listed as questionable for Monday’s game with a left ankle injury.
