ATLANTA -- The Golden State Warriors have ruled star guard Stephen Curry out of their next two games but plan to incorporate him into live contact practices in the coming days as he takes the final steps toward a potential return.
Curry has been sidelined with a persistent right knee issue since Jan. 30, missing the past 20 games. He will sit out in Atlanta on Saturday night and Dallas on Monday night, stretching his absence to 22 games as his Warriors have tumbled down the standings.
Curry will scrimmage on Sunday morning in Atlanta with coaches and backup players in a planned five-on-five setting. Kerr called it a major checkpoint before deciding when exactly Curry can return.
"Tomorrow is probably a big day," Kerr said. "We'll know more at that point.
Golden State faces the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday and the Washington Wizards on Friday in San Francisco.
This has been a challenging stretch for the Warriors. They've gone 6-14 in Curry's absence, losing seven of their past eight games to fall into the 10th spot in the Western Conference standings.
Coach Steve Kerr has voiced an acceptance that the team is stuck in the play-in bracket, stating a belief that the Warriors can play their way into the playoffs if they get Curry geared up in April. They also expect to get veteran center Al Horford (calf strain) and starting guard Moses Moody (wrist sprain) back in the near future.
Curry's injury is listed as patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as "runner's knee," which typically consists of swelling and pain around the kneecap. He has had a few setbacks in his attempted return the past two months but has finally made enough progress to get the green light for contact work.
