Steve Kerr says Stephen Curry will not play in Game 3

Steve Kerr confirmed on Friday what most already assumed: Stephen Curry will not return early from his sprained right knee, and not play against the Trail Blazers in Game 3 on Saturday.

From a talk with the Dan Patrick Show, here's Kerr's breakdown:

"So, game 3 tomorrow, he’s not going to play. He’s getting better every day, but until he’s out on the floor with our team and scrimmaging and we’re seeing him move, and the trainers say it’s a go, we’ll just keep doing what we’re doing. But no way tomorrow, and I would say maybe a slight chance on Monday if he gets great work in the next few days."

And the full clip of Kerr's explanation:

 

The Portland Trail Blazers will attempt to come out red hot and rollin’ against the Golden State Warriors in Saturday’s Game 3, hoping to avenge a pair of double-digit losses to begin the Western Conference semis while holding ground on their home court. Curry's absence at least gives the team a fighting chance.

The last we heard from Curry, the Warriors guard was ducking questions about receiving platelet-rich therapy on his knee in the days following his sprain on April 24. The Warriors themselves were also coy on whether or not Curry took in the treatment – famously given to stars such as Kobe Bryant, Curry teammate Andrew Bogut, and the last Warrior guard to start in front of Stephen: Acie Law.

Warrior general manager Bob Myers told the press on Wednesday that he’d like to see his guard go through a 3-on-3 or 5-on-5 practice first before making the call, something Kerr re-iterated on Thursday, referencing the ankle sprain that Curry suffered in the first game of his team’s postseason:

''That's what we did in Houston with the ankle. He wanted to play but he hadn't practiced,'' Kerr said. ''We gave him two straight days of three-on-three, five-on-five, and he felt pretty good. So that's why he started out Game 4. We probably need to get through that process. We need to see him in rhythm, cutting, moving and see how he responds the next day as well.''

A return on Monday in Game 4 would come exactly two weeks after the “two-week” window announced by the team when an MRI revealed no tear but a nagging sprain in the right knee. That window was merely placed as an evaluation and not a stated return point, however, with Curry always given the chance that he could not only return early (like the hope of a Saturday return, 13 days following the actual sprain) or well after the diagnosis.

Even with all the positive notes about his recovery, and even if Curry returns with the full go-ahead in Game 4, this is still an injury that could linger until Golden State’s season has ended. That isn’t to say the Warriors are pushing Curry back or endangering his career, that’s just how these sorts of sprains go. Even the best treatment in the world, which Stephen is no doubt receiving, can’t take away from the handicap of the injury itself.

Which is fine, in the interim. Golden State has won four straight in the wake of Curry’s setback and even though Portland is full of dogged performers (working in front of a home Portland crowd that rivals Golden State’s for its voraciousness), it would not be a surprise in the slightest if the Warriors swept.

Nor would it be a surprise if we didn’t see Stephen Curry pair up against Portland’s Damian Lillard all series. Which is a shame, but you get the feeling this potential rivalry has a long way to go.