San Francisco –Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is expected to return from an ankle sprain Saturday night against the Lakers, coach Steve Kerr said Friday. Curry sprained his ankle while landing during the team's loss to the Chicago Bulls last Thursday and has not appeared in the Warriors' three games since then.
Curry practiced with the team in Los Angeles on Friday ahead of Saturday night's matchup with the Warriors.
Curry appeared to twist his right ankle while walking to the basket late in the fourth quarter last week. He then limped around the court trying to leave, but ultimately left the game and went straight to the locker room with less than four minutes remaining.
Curry's absence was felt late in the game against Chicago, when rookie Brandin Podzemski missed a close-range layup that would have tied the game with seven seconds left. A final game-winning attempt from half court was foiled by Lester Quinones, who was brought in for Curry.
Before Curry's injury, the Warriors were one of the hottest teams in basketball, going 14-4 in 18 games from January 30 to March 1. During that time, the Warriors had the fourth- and fifth-best net ratings in the NBA. -Curry averaged 26 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds on 45/41/89 shooting splits and had the best defense. Considering the loss to the Bulls, the Warriors are 1-3 since his injury.
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