Friday 21 February 2020 05:52, UK
Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry is back at practice and his injured hand will be re-evaluated on February 28.
"He has only played three games with this group," head coach Steve Kerr told reporters following Wednesday's practice. "And we're so different from the last five years. Steph needs to figure this group out and vice versa. He is perfectly healthy and he is in the prime of his career."
Curry practiced on Wednesday without a brace on his fractured left hand that he injured in October. If doctors agree with Kerr's assessment and Curry is cleared to return, he could play immediately.
As of Thursday, Curry hasn't participated in five-on-five scrimmages and won't be cleared until he does.
The Warriors were overhauled in the offseason with Kevin Durant's exit, DeMarcus Cousins signing with the Los Angeles Lakers and Klay Thompson suffering a torn ACL that will sideline him for the entire season.
Since Curry was hurt, the Warriors traded D'Angelo Russell for Andrew Wiggins. Longtime team-mates Andre Iguodala (traded to Memphis in July 2019) and Shaun Livingston (retirement) are also gone.
While there is an adjustment period coming for Curry and his team-mates, Kerr wouldn't subscribe to the theory the team should sit Curry the rest of the season.
"If the point is because he might get hurt, then what's the point of ever playing anybody," Kerr asked.
Including the October 30 game in which he was injured, Curry has played in four games this season, averaging 20.3 points and 6.5 assists while hitting only 24.3 per cent of his three-point shots.
"I think it's important for Steph and Andrew (Wiggins) to get to know each other and to play together," Kerr added.
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