Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry said he does not need to be at 100 per cent to return from injury in Game 1 of his side's opening round series against the Denver Nuggets.

Curry has been out of action with a sprained foot since mid-March, and the Warriors have sputtered in his absence, going 8-10 in the 18 games the two-time MVP has missed this season.

While they did finish with a five-game winning streak to end the regular season, the Dubs will need a fit and in-rhythm Curry to go deep into the post-season.

It is being reported that the Warriors feel Curry's injury is simply going to be a matter of pain tolerance, with no fear that playing may exacerbate the problem.

Speaking with media after the Warriors' scrimmage on Thursday, Curry said if he is allowed to play, he will be there in Game 1.

"You get cleared to play, at that point there's no time to really worry about that," he said. 

"Are you going to help the team win? Are you going to make an impact and do what you do? If I feel like the answer is yes, I'm going to play.

"I'm not worried about it being a limiting factor in terms of how I will approach the game – hopefully there's a little wiggle room to see how I feel out there."

When discussing his chances, Curry said he has "high confidence".

"Everything has been positive in terms of getting back out there and understanding I'll be ready to play whenever that time is," he said "I'm hoping it's Saturday.

"I'll try to be the best version I can be, having missed a little bit of time... I have high confidence I can go out there and help our team win."

Steph Curry is likely to return for Game 1 of the Golden State Warriors' first-round series against the Denver Nuggets, after missing the home stretch of the regular season with a foot sprain.

The two-time MVP and three-time NBA Champion is averaging 25 points, six assists and five rebounds this season in 64 games – his most games played since the 2018-19 season.

Curry is essential to the Warriors' success, as illustrated by their 8-10 record in games he has missed this season, compared to 45-19 when he has played.

Golden State head coach Steve Kerr spoke about how everyone is desperate to get the star guard back on the court, but the organisation will not rush him back before he has proven his readiness.

"We're not going to play him without getting a scrimmage," he said.

"The whole team will need a scrimmage, given that we generally play every other day and now we have six days between games, that's pretty unique. 

"But it would be irresponsible to put Steph out there in a playoff game without having scrimmage time before."

Kerr also suggested that if Curry is to suit up in Game 1, he will be on a minutes restriction, saying he won't play "30, 35 minutes", and may come off the bench.

Curry's 'Splash Brother', Klay Thompson, also weighed in on the status of his team-mate.

"It felt good to play, and Stephen Curry looked like himself," he said. "He just gives everybody a lift with just his presence on the court. 

"It was great to have him out there."

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry could return to full practice this week as he recovers from a sprained ligament and a bone bruise in his left foot.

Curry has not played since March 16 when he suffered a sprained ligament and a bone bruise in his left foot against the Boston Celtics, missing the side's past 12 games.

The Warriors will face the Denver Nuggets in the first-round playoffs, with Game 1 scheduled for Saturday in San Francisco.

Curry remains "day-to-day" but Kerr said he would need to join in scrimmage, scheduled for Thursday, ahead of Saturday's game, having been restricted to individual work.

"It's essential, we're not going to play him without giving him a scrimmage," Kerr told reporters on Tuesday.

"The whole team will need a scrimmage given that we generally play every other day and all of a sudden we have six days between games, that's pretty unique.

"Everybody will need a scrimmage but it would be irresponsible to put Steph out there in a playoff game without having scrimmage time before."

He added: "Each day will determine where he is and what he can do the following day. At the end of the week, we'll determine if he's ready or not. It's hard to predict much."

The Warriors went 6-6 without Curry in the side across the final dozen regular-season games, winning their final five to see off the Dallas Mavericks for third seed in the Western Conference.

Kerr had previously said: "We'll see how everything goes with Steph next week. There's a chance he could be ready for game one, there's a chance he might not.

"It's literally going to be a day-to-day thing as it all unfolds this week. We'll know a lot more after the next few days when he's ramping up his work. but there's a chance we could get everybody on the same age and healthy.

"We haven't reached our potential yet. That's exciting to me. We have some room for growth."

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry could return to full practice this week as he recovers from a sprained ligament and a bone bruise in his left foot.

Curry has not played since March 16 when he suffered a sprained ligament and a bone bruise in his left foot against the Boston Celtics, missing the side's past 12 games.

The Warriors will face the Denver Nuggets in the first-round playoffs, with game one scheduled for Saturday in San Francisco.

Curry remains "day-to-day" but Kerr said he would need to join in scrimmage, scheduled for Thursday, ahead of Saturday's game, having been restricted to individual work.

"It's essential, we're not going to play him without giving him a scrimmage," Kerr told reporters on Tuesday.

"The whole team will need a scrimmage given that we generally play every other day and all of a sudden we have six days between games, that's pretty unique.

"Everybody will need a scrimmage but it would be irresponsible to put Steph out there in a playoff game without having scrimmage time before."

He added: "Each day will determine where he is and what he can do the following day. At the end of the week, we'll determine if he's ready or not. It's hard to predict much."

The Warriors went 6-6 without Curry in the side across the final dozen regular-season games, winning their final five to see off the Dallas Mavericks for third seed in the Western Conference.

Kerr had previously said: "We'll see how everything goes with Steph next week. There's a chance he could be ready for game one, there's a chance he might not.

"It's literally going to be a day-to-day thing as it all unfolds this week. We'll know a lot more after the next few days when he's ramping up his work. but there's a chance we could get everybody on the same age and healthy.

"We haven't reached our potential yet. That's exciting to me. We have some room for growth."

In what may be a preview of this year's Western Conference Finals, the top-seeded Phoenix Suns make the trip to San Francisco to take on the three seed Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

While these are undoubtedly two of the premier teams in the West, the real story is about how the Suns have been in a class of their own this season, eight games clear of the second-best record in the league.

In the 21st century, only two teams have finished the regular season with a top-two ranking in both offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency: the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors, and the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors.

Both of those Warriors juggernauts went on to win the NBA Championship, and if the season were to end today, Phoenix would become the third team to achieve those marks.

Phoenix's net-rating – which illustrates how many more points a team is scoring than their opposition per 100 possessions – is plus 8.5, which is nearly two points clear of the second-placed Boston Celtics at plus 6.8.

The Suns have not just been the best team in basketball this season, they have been historically good in a way that compares the peak of the Warriors' run, and ranks better than any of LeBron James' Miami Heat teams, or the three-peat Los Angeles Lakers from 2000-02.

The Warriors, on the other hand, have been sputtering since Stephen Curry was sidelined with an injury that is expected to keep him out of action until the playoffs.

After three consecutive losses, can the Warriors pose any real threat to such a great Suns team? Stylistically, they may have some factors working in their favour, and as the saying goes, styles make fights.

These are two teams that play in similar ways. Both teams are bottom-five in percentage of their total points coming from the free throw line, both teams are top-five in percentage of two-point baskets coming from assists, and both are top-three in fewest blocked shots.

What this means is when these teams go inside to score, they are playing a finesse game focused around passing, movement, and creating open shots, as opposed to a bully-ball style which focuses on creating contact and forcing a way to the free throw line.

For a team like the Warriors that gives up free throws at the fifth-highest rate in the league, having a team that is willing to match their style and be a willing dance partner will hide some deficiencies and allow the home side to lean into what it does well.

Golden State also attempts the second-highest percentage of three-pointers – nearly 46 per cent of all of their shots come from long range – while Phoenix is way down at 27th in the league, taking 65 per cent of their shots from two-point range.

Despite that stat implying Phoenix is dominant in the paint, they actually are 16th in paint scoring, but third in mid-range scoring thanks to the efforts of Devin Booker and Chris Paul.

It is well-established at this point that mid-range jump shots are the least efficient shots in all of basketball, while an open three-pointer is the best shot a team can take other than a dunk, layup or free throw.

Phoenix has been great on a diet of difficult shots this season, but if the Warriors can get hot from three-point range at the volume they get them up, the Suns may simply lose the math equation.

PIVOTAL PERFORMERS

Phoenix Suns – Chris Paul

Of every player in the NBA this season averaging at least 20 minutes per appearance, only two – LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar Derozan – score a higher percentage of their points from the mid-range than Paul.

As discussed, Phoenix will need to score consistently and efficiently from the mid-range to counter how many three-pointers the Warriors will get up, and Paul is at the center of that.

Add into the equation that Paul leads the league in assists per game, while coming in at second in steals per game, and it's clear why he is so important at both ends of the floor.

Golden State Warriors – Klay Thompson

Simply put, the Warriors need to get hot from long range to win this game, and few players in the history of basketball can get hotter than Klay Thompson.

Thompson holds the NBA record for most threes in a single game, hitting 14 of them against the Chicago Bulls in 2018, and has made at least nine in a game on 10 different occasions.

While he is still working himself back into full form after returning from a two-year absence this season, over his past 10 games Thompson is averaging 24 points per game and is hitting a strong 40 per cent of his long range attempts.

KEY BATTLES – Can the Warriors compete with the Suns' size?

Golden State have only one player on their roster taller than six-foot-nine Kevon Looney, and it is James Wiseman, who will not play a single game this season due to lingering injuries.

Suns center Deandre Ayton measures in at seven-foot-one, and less than a week ago he physically dominated All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns en route to 35 points and 14 rebounds.

Towns is bigger than anyone Golden State can throw at Ayton, and while Looney is an above-average defender, basketball is a game where size matters, and the Warriors are small.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

These two sides met on three separate occasions in December, with Golden State winning twice.

Curry top-scored for the Warriors in both wins, while Ayton out-scored his season average in all three meetings.

James Harden scored 29 points with a season-high 15 rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers improved to 46-27 with a 122-97 road victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.

Harden had four three-pointers in his 29 points, while he also dished off seven assists, with Joel Embiid adding 27 points with 10 rebounds as the 76ers flexed their muscle.

The 76ers set the tone with a 35-19 first quarter with Tobias Harris (12 points, two rebounds and two assists) hitting a buzzer-beating three-pointer.

Harden's 15 rebounds are the most the 2018 MVP has had in a game since December 2020 with the Houston Rockets.

The win helps the 76ers close on the Miami Heat (47-27) and Milwaukee Bucks (46-27) at the top of the Eastern Conference in the jostle for top seed ahead of the playoffs.

Curry-less Warriors beaten again

The Golden State Warriors lost for the fourth time in their past five games since Stephen Curry's foot injury, going down 121-110 to the Atlanta Hawks despite Klay Thompson's 37 points including nine triples. Hawks guard Trae Young starred with 33 points and 15 assists.

The Minnesota Timberwolves clinched their 11th win from their past 14 games as they got the Dallas Mavericks 116-95 led by Karl-Anthony Towns' 20 points and nine rebounds. Luka Doncic had 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Mavs.

The Charlotte Hornets responded after their shock defeat to the New York Knicks with an impressive 107-101 win over the Utah Jazz, with Miles Bridges scoring 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Terry Rozier added 25 points.

Knicks' remarkable run downs Heat

The Miami Heat looked set to gain some breathing space on top of the Eastern Conference before the New York Knicks closed on a remarkable 38-13 run to claim a stunning 111-103 victory. Immanuel Quickley scored 20 of his 23 points in the last quarter.

Trae Young's return to Madison Square Garden was like a recurring nightmare for New York Knicks fans as the Atlanta Hawks prevailed 117-111.

Young, who became public enemy number one in New York when he erupted in the playoffs, eliminating the Knicks in the process, was spectacular again on Tuesday night.

He finished with a game-high 45 points (13-of-25 shooting, seven-of-15 from three) to go with eight assists, and was supported by a season-high 32 points (11-of-20 shooting, four-of-10 from three) from Bogdan Bogdanovic off the bench.

New York's R.J. Barrett played hard, but was ultimately inefficient, scoring 30 points on nine-of-25 shooting, going one-of-seven from long range and 11-of-17 from the free throw line.

The win pulls the Hawks' record even at 36-36, with last year's Eastern Conference finalists set for a play-in battle as they occupy the 10 seed.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said his team needs to appreciate a decreased margin for error with Stephen Curry injured, after their 110-108 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Curry is in a race to return to the court before the playoffs begin in April, and the Warriors felt his absence, getting out-shot from long range by the 28-44 Spurs, currently 11th in the Western Conference.

The Warriors have been undermanned all season with their big-man stocks as James Wiseman, the second pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, is yet to make his season debut.

Coach Kerr stressed this point, and pointed out that he did not feel like his team brought the requisite intensity before it was too late.

"We have to understand – and I told the guys this at half-time and after the game – that we're undermanned," he said.

"There's 11 games left now, and we're looking at the playoffs, and there's gotta be a sense of urgency. 

"There's gotta be a sense of competitive fight that we take to the other team from the very beginning of the game, and I did not see that until we were really late in the game.

"We were great in that fourth quarter, fighting like crazy, but we need to fight like crazy from the start."

Two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry is optimistic he can return from his left foot injury prior to the playoffs.

Curry sprained a ligament in his left foot on March 16 against the Boston Celtics, with the Golden State Warriors stating on Friday that he would be re-evaluated in two weeks.

The Warriors, who held a 47-23 record prior to Sunday's game against the San Antonio Spurs and sit third in the west, will have five regular-season games remaining when Curry is due to be re-evaluated.

The NBA playoffs are due to commence on April 16 and Curry was optimistic about getting in some games prior to that when he spoke to the media on Sunday wearing a boot on his injured foot.

"I think I'll get enough time for that but I'm an optimist," Curry told reporters.

"It was definitely painful at first. But it's getting better by the day. Trying to assess the recovery in real-time, just knowing how much we can push it on a day to day.

"I'm just trying to stay patient and know that it will continue to get better."

Three-time NBA champion Curry has been a key part of the Warriors' success this season, after the side missed the playoffs in 2020 and 2021.

Curry, who broke Ray Allen's all-time NBA record for three-pointers made this season, has scored 25.5 points per game, with 5.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists this season.

Sunday's game against the Spurs will be Golden State's first without Curry since the injury, with the side hoping to hold on to the third seed in the west with the Memphis Grizzlies (49-23) ahead of them, while the Utah Jazz (44-26) and Dallas Mavericks (43-28) are a few games back.

Curry, however, said diligence in recovery was the key with a view to fully recovering from the injury ahead of the playoffs.

"You want to not rush the beginning phases of healing," Curry said. "That's where you can get the most progress so when you put the shoe back on, get back out on the court, you're not dealing with crazy soreness.

"You give yourself a better shot because this is one that if you push it too soon, it can linger and be a real nuisance."

Curry also had no hard feelings towards Celtics guard Marcus Smart who was involved in the incident that led to the injury after head coach Steve Kerr had criticized him for "dangerous play".

"He made the play that he did, but I don't think it was malicious or dirty," Curry said.

Stephen Curry's foot injury will be "re-evaluated in two weeks", the Golden State Warriors have revealed.

Curry sustained the injury in Wednesday's 110-88 defeat to the Boston Celtics, leaving the court in the second quarter after contesting a loose ball with guard Marcus Smart.

Reports on Thursday said the 34-year-old would be out "indefinitely", and the Warriors confirmed on Friday that the player has suffered a sprained ligament in his left foot after undergoing an MRI.

"Stephen Curry, who exited Wednesday's game vs. Boston with 4:09 remaining in the second quarter due to a left foot injury, underwent an MRI on Wednesday night," a tweet from the Warriors read.

"The MRI indicated that Curry suffered a sprained left foot ligament. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks."

Curry scored 47 points in his previous game against the Washington Wizards on Monday, and has averaged 25.5 points per game this season for the Warriors.

He broke Ray Allen's record for most career three-pointers in December, though this season his percentage from beyond the arc sits at 38.0, slightly down on his career average of 42.8.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr criticised Smart for "dangerous play" in the incident, and the duo exchanged words on the sidelines shortly after.

Smart defended himself from Kerr's claims, stating that Curry's injury was "unfortunate" and that he was "not a dirty player".

Stephen Curry will be out "indefinitely" after suffering sprained ligament damage to his left foot, according to reports.

The Golden State Warriors star sustained the injury in Wednesday's 110-88 defeat to the Boston Celtics, with Curry leaving the court in the second quarter after contesting a loose ball with guard Marcus Smart.

However, Shams Charania of The Athletic claims the 34-year-old has avoided a "fracture or major damage".

Curry scored 47 points in his previous game against the Washington Wizards on Monday, and has averaged 25.5 points per game this season for the Warriors.

He broke Ray Allen's record for most career three-pointers in December, though this season his percentage from beyond the arc sits at 38.0, slightly down on his career average of 42.8.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr criticised Smart for "dangerous play" in the incident, and the duo exchanged words on the sidelines shortly after.

"I thought it was a dangerous play," Kerr told reporters. "I thought Marcus dove into Steph, and that's what I was upset about.

"I've got a lot of respect for Marcus. He's a hell of a player, a gamer, a competitor. I coached him in the World Cup a few summers ago. We talked after the game and we're good. But I thought it was a dangerous play."

Smart defended himself from Kerr's claims, stating that Curry's injury was "unfortunate" and that he was "not a dirty player".

"I saw the ball, I dove for the ball, trying to make a play. Unfortunately that occurred," Smart said.

"I'm sure I'm going to get called dirty. But I know who I am. I play very hard and I leave everything on the court. My team-mates, my colleagues, they know I'm not a dirty player."

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has criticised Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart for "dangerous play" in the incident that led to Stephen Curry being forced off injured.

Curry left the court in the second quarter due to a left-foot injury that he was immediately sent for an MRI on post-game after the Warriors lost 110-88 to the Celtics.

The two-time MVP and Smart contested a loose ball, with the Celtics forward rolling on to Curry's left leg, leaving him limping, before exiting the game.

Kerr and Smart exchanged words on the sidelines shortly after the incident, with the Warriors head coach particularly vocal.

"I thought it was a dangerous play," Kerr told reporters. "I thought Marcus dove into Steph, and that's what I was upset about.

"I've got a lot of respect for Marcus. He's a hell of a player, a gamer, a competitor. I coached him in the World Cup a few summers ago. We talked after the game and we're good. But I thought it was a dangerous play."

Kerr said the Warriors would learn the extent of Curry's injury once the MRI scans were returned and offered no insight on their level of concerns.

Meanwhile, Smart defended himself from Kerr's claims, stating that Curry's injury was "unfortunate" and that he was "not a dirty player".

"I saw the ball, I dove for the ball, trying to make a play. Unfortunately that occurred," Smart said.

He added: "I'm sure I'm going to get called dirty. But I know who I am. I play very hard and I leave everything on the court. My teammates, my colleagues, they know I'm not a dirty player."

The result leaves the Warriors with a 47-23 record to be third in the Western Conference having lost six of their past 10 games.

Spencer Dinwiddie delivered the buzzer-beating dagger in the Dallas Mavericks' 113-111 win on the road against the Brooklyn Nets.

In a game with First Team All-NBA stars Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant going head-to-head, Dinwiddie hit the most important shot of the night as defenders rushed to trap Doncic with just seconds remaining as the Mavericks trailed 110-111.

The game only required Dinwiddie's heroics after a string of late-game shot-making saw the lead seesaw.

After a Dirk Nowitzki-esque mid-range fadeaway from Doncic to grab a 110-108 lead, Durant took matters into his own hands.

Facing a defence that was game-planned to get the ball out of Durant's hands by sending two defenders to him whenever he had the ball, the seven-foot star was unselfish throughout the game as he moved the ball to the open outlet pass and racked up 10 assists to go with his 23 points (8/20 shooting).

But with everything on the line, Durant was determined to live and die by his own shot-making, pulling up and draining a ridiculous long-three with two defenders closing in on him to nab a one-point lead, before Dindwiddie answered.

Stephen Curry was forced to sit out the second half of the Golden State Warriors’ game with the Boston Celtics on Wednesday after injuring his left foot.

With just over four minutes remaining in the second quarter, Curry and Celtics guard Marcus Smart dove for a loose ball. The resulting tumble meant Smart fell on Curry’s leg, causing an inward tweak.

The Warriors confirmed Curry would not return in the second half, citing "left foot soreness".

At that point in the game, Curry had three points, one rebound and two assists with the Warriors down 33-25.

Curry has been the key player for the Warriors this season, with the side sitting third in the Western Conference with a 47-22 record prior to Wednesday's game.

The two-time MVP leads the NBA this season in three-pointers made with 284. Prior to Wednesday's game, Curry was averaging 25.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists this season.

Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson enjoyed an on-court reunion on Monday, which was described by the latter as "magical".

For the first time since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, the Warriors had their star trio of Curry, Green and Thompson on the court together.

Green had been out since early January due to a back injury, meaning he had been unable to feature since Thompson's return from two serious injury lay-offs.

But the trio were back and as good as ever against the Washington Wizards, who the Warriors defeated 126-112.

Green featured for 20 minutes and had six points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Thompson added 20 points to the Warriors' tally.

Curry, meanwhile, marked his 34th birthday in sensational style, scoring a season-high 47 points and finishing with six rebounds and as many assists. 

It was the sixth time in 2021-22 that Curry has enjoyed a 40-plus point game.

"That was magical," Thompson told reporters, while Green enthused: "It was beautiful."

Curry explained: "I think what it did for him is what it did for all of us. You could tell the energy picked up.

"It's not anything more than what's built on 10 years of experience and chemistry and winning and an understanding of how we do things. No matter how much time we have off, we can get right back to it.

"It is crazy to think first time me, Klay and Draymond had been on the court in a very, very long time.

"We want to keep building on that. We know each other like the back of our hand, we complement each other very well."

Golden State have now won four straight games all by double digits, following a five-game losing streak.

The Warriors moved to 47-22 for the season and have now beat every other team in the NBA at least once this season.