OAKLAND — Listen to Steve Kerr reflect about Stephen Curry’s recovery both before and after Golden State’s 113-104 win over the Pelicans, and you can discern how Curry performed Tuesday night.
Before the victory, Kerr said Curry is ‘getting there’ as he recovers from a left knee sprain that sidelined him for more than five weeks.
“I think he is really making strides,” Kerr said.
Then came the explosion. Curry scored 28 points on 10-16 shooting, along with eight assists and seven rebounds Tuesday night. Curry’s 11 points in the opening 5:35 of the third quarter facilitated the monstrous 25-4 run the Warriors launched to begin the second half, which ultimately dug New Orleans in too deep of a hole to overcome.
“It just feels like he is back now,” Kerr said postgame.
Just like that.
Perhaps the most encouraging takeaway from Curry’s brilliant night was the 37 minutes he played, including all 12 in the fourth quarter. He showed no lingering limitations from the knee injury that sidelined him for 16 games upon his Game 2 return last Tuesday.
“I played the whole fourth quarter, so it was nice to get a full 12th-minute round like that,” Curry said postgame. “When I am out there, (I am) just trying to play free, not worry about anything, continue to try to get my rhythm on both ends, and keep moving. The last four games have been solid.”
Curry has played increasingly more minutes with each passing contest. In his return last Tuesday, Curry came off the bench to score 28 points in 27 minutes. In Game 3, he returned to the starting lineup, pouring in 19 points in 29 minutes. In Game 4, Curry poured in 23 points in 32 minutes, his season average.
Kerr has methodically incorporated Curry back into the fold, from a bench role in Game 2 to his typical maximum playoff workload in Game 5.
“I think Coach (Kerr) did a great job, though, of just giving (Curry) a little bit here and there,” Kevin Durant said postgame. “Tonight, really just letting him go. You see, when you let the dog off the leash what happens. We going to need to continue him to be aggressive and we’ll live with anything.”
The one question looming over Golden State’s playoff outlook was when and whether Curry would return to form. The Warriors dispatched the San Antonio Spurs in five games before jumping out to a 1-0 lead over the Pelicans with a 22-point win without Curry.
The two-time NBA MVP made a resounding statement just 11 seconds into his return. He drilled a contested three-pointer on the first offensive play in Game 2 against the Pelicans after starting the contest on the bench.
He has followed a memorable return with consistent Curry-esque production throughout the remainder of the series. He averaged 24.5 points on 44.1 percent three-point shooting, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in the four games since he came back.
The Warriors enter their Western Conference Finals tilt with the No. 1-seeded Houston Rockets fully restocked and restored, with a healthy Curry back leading the charge.
“Missing six weeks, you are still appreciative of just being out there playing,” Curry said. “I continue to get better, continue to get my timing right, continue to get back to the normal rotation (regarding) minutes I am out there playing, and hopefully we won’t look back.”