Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry returned to action on Friday night after missing two games due to a pelvic contusion. Despite feeling the effects of the injury, Curry contributed 23 points and six assists to help the Warriors secure a 111-95 win over the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. His return came just over a week after a frightening fall during a game against the Toronto Raptors.
Curry, who has a history of tailbone injuries, reflected on his recent scare. “It just reminded me of '21 when I fell into the stairs in Houston,” Curry said. “I think that [this time it didn't] break anything or have any bone damage, was mostly just a deep serious contusion that I'll feel for a while. But I can play and I can't make it worse as long as I don't land on it again.” Coach Kerr Pleased with Curry’s Performance
Although Curry shot 7-for-21 from the field, including 5-of-16 from beyond the arc, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was pleased with his star’s performance. “I thought he looked great,” Kerr said. “He was moving really well. Took care of the ball. I thought Steph played an excellent game. He probably missed his last five or six 3s, so the numbers don't look great, but he looked like himself. And I think the week off did him a lot of good.”
Rest Proved Beneficial Before Critical Stretch
Curry had been rested by the Warriors during their March 18 game against Milwaukee after Kerr stressed that his star guard needed rest. He played just over a half in the next game against Toronto before suffering the pelvic contusion.
Reflecting on his condition, Curry said, “I felt good before it. I mean, I know there's all that talk with the volume or the load that I've been through, but physically, I felt well and felt good and had some juice every night. Mentally, I was away from the team for three days [right after the injury] so that was just kind of weird but could fill the cup up a little bit. Then, thought I was going to play in Miami and kind of went through the routine but wasn't able to go. So it was another two days to kind of get my mind right. I think it should be a good run all the way to our last game. You got nine games left, so we got to win as many as we can.”
Looking Ahead: Warriors Focus on Playoff Push, Hornets Plan for Rebuild
With Curry back in the lineup, the Warriors are looking to build momentum in the final stretch of the season. Meanwhile, the Hornets, with their franchise cornerstone sidelined, are focused on maximizing their draft capital and preparing for another rebuild in the offseason.