Will the Warriors’ Steph Curry play against the Lakers this weekend?
The Golden State Warriors are set to see the return of their star and while they’ve done well in his absence, it goes without saying they’re a different team when he’s present.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, not only will they have to contend with the absence of their star, LeBron James, but now it seems they will have to deal with the return of the Warriors star as well. Good news for Warriors, extra bad news for the Lakers.
Steph Curry set to return against Lakers
According to reports, Steph Curry will be making his return to the floor on Sunday when the Golden State Warriors play host to the Los Angeles Lakers. Curry of course, has been out since suffering partial tears in two lower-leg ligaments back on February 4th during a game against the Dallas Mavericks. Incidentally, Curry has already missed time on two occasions this season with a shoulder injury and another leg related problem. When he’s been on the court, however, he’s been at his best with an average of 29.4 points per game - the third highest tally of his career - on 61.9% from the field. Consider for a moment, that he’s only played in 38 games this season, yet he still comes in at eight in the NBA with 185 3-pointers drained.
How have the Warriors done without Steph Curry
In truth the Warriors have managed to steady the ship without their star. To that end, they are now on a four-game win streak after beating the Clippers on Thursday night and more importantly moved up to No. 5 in the Western Conference. That said, there is no comparison for when Curry is on the floor. Indeed, when the former MVP has been on the court, they have outscored opponents by 5.3 points per 100 possessions. To further cement the point, when Curry is joined by fellow starters Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney, they’ve outscored opponents by 145 total points.
Ultimately, this hasn’t been the best campaign for the defending champions, but with the playoffs drawing nearer, they appear to be finding their groove at just the right time, while getting healthier by the day. Yet, it’s got to be said that the conference as a whole has seen its share of roster changes, injuries and general instability. That’s to say that if the Warriors can stay fit, they’ve got a good chance of retaining their title once again.