SAN FRANCISCO — Two-time MVP Stephen Curry made his return to the starting lineup Tuesday night after a monthlong absence due to a left shoulder injury.
With their star back against the Phoenix Suns, the Warriors were able to field their regular starting lineup of Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney for the first time since Dec. 2.
This also meant Jordan Poole returned to the bench for the first time in 17 games.
Curry, 34, had missed 11 games since suffering a partial separation of his left shoulder Dec. 14 in Indiana. The Warriors were relieved when an MRI confirmed Curry wouldn’t need surgery after he hurt it trying to strip the ball from Jalen Smith. But it was another massive blow to the starting lineup that was already without Wiggins, who had been sidelined by a groin injury.
With those two guys out, and the Warriors sitting below .500, it was sink or swim time for the reigning champions who had struggled to gain any momentum to start their title defense.
It got ugly for Golden State before the team managed to stabilize itself once returning home.
The Warriors hit rock bottom in New York after suffering back-to-back blowout losses to the Knicks and Nets, but they bounced back in the Bay, opening their eight-game homestand with a season-long five game winning streak. Heading into Tuesday’s game, Golden State had lost the last two games to the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic, a pair of bottom-feeding Eastern Conference teams, dropping the Warriors to 20-20.
The Warriors went 6-5 without Curry and coach Steve Kerr lauded his team’s perseverance and ability to stay afloat while playing without Curry and Wiggins, who returned Saturday after missing 15 games.
“They were able to hold down the fort,” Kerr said. “To go 6-5 without Steph is an accomplishment and difficult circumstances also missing Wiggs… So really proud of the team. They put us in a good spot but we lost two straight home games so [Tuesday] is a big game for us and I think our guys know our guys have to be locked in and ready to go and we’ve got to find some momentum at the halfway mark.”
With Wiggins and Curry both back, the Warriors are still not whole again. They’re still missing JaMychal Green (right leg infection), Jonathan Kuminga (right foot sprain) and James Wiseman (left ankle sprain), who were ruled out for Tuesday’s game.
Meanwhile, the Suns will be without stars Devin Booker (left groin strain) and Chris Paul (right hip soreness), and fellow starters Deandre Ayton (left ankle sprain) and Torrey Craig (right ankle sprain) are listed as questionable, as is rotation guard Landry Shamet with a right hip injury.
Ring him
Curry returned just in time to present Damion Lee his championship ring.
Before the game, the brothers-in-law Curry and Lee posed together at halfcourt as Lee received a loud roar from the home crowd in his first return back to Chase Center since signing with the Suns in free agency.
Lee has carved himself a nice role in Phoenix and has shot a whopping 48% from 3 this season.
The latest of JaMychal Green
Kerr shared an update on Green as he ramps up to return to play after being out for more than three weeks.
Green entered the league’s health and safety protocols Dec. 20 before later suffering an infection in his right leg that required him to go to the hospital. Due to the infection, Green was unable to break a sweat and “basically did nothing for over two weeks,” Kerr said.
Green has been shooting on the practice court and working in the weight room but hasn’t been cleared to return to practice with the team yet.
“It’s almost like for training camp, just making sure he’s ready to compete and to practice at a high level,” Kerr said.
The Warriors plan to have an update on Green, Kuminga and Wiseman Thursday.
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