Playing point guard Stephen Curry in Game 3 was something that Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was ultimately not comfortable enough and prepared to do. His reasoning made a ton of sense, and while the Warriors did lose the game, you still have to understand the decision that was made.
From Monte Poole, columnist for CSN Bay Area.com:
“We talked to him after shootaround today,” Kerr added. “He felt pretty good. He moved well. He wanted to play. But, ultimately, we didn’t feel comfortable, after four straight days of inactivity, throwing him into the middle of a playoff game not knowing how the ankle would respond.”
With the two days off now, one should expect Curry to be able to suit up for Game 4 on Sunday afternoon. That means Curry would not have played since April 16, a full eight days ago by the time Game 4 rolls around. Then again, that’s also a positive considering how the Warriors have been able to fare without him.
The biggest hurdle that Golden State has to clear during their run to a second straight championship is mitigating the risk factors associated with injuries, and a Curry ankle injury is probably one of the scariest things out there. I would expect Curry out there on Sunday, but giving him all the time he needs in order to get healthy is the right move.