CHICAGO — Stephen Curry started his third straight game Sunday since returning from a partially dislocated shoulder last week.
He responded well in his first 54 minutes of action over the course of the first two games — so much so that the minutes restriction he was under has been lifted. He should be good to go to play Monday in Washington D.C., the latter part of a back-to-back, coach Steve Kerr said pregame Sunday.
The same can’t be said for Klay Thompson, though.
Thompson hasn’t played in both nights of a back-to-back since he returned about midway through last season after suffering two major leg injuries. The hope is that soon should change, but it won’t be on this current five-game road trip, which includes two sets of back-to-backs.
Soreness in Thompson’s left knee sidelined him for the Warriors’ Jan. 7 loss to the Orlando Magic. While Kerr said the pain in his surgically repaired knee wasn’t a long-term concern, it’s not worth pushing Thompson to play games on consecutive nights.
“We’re going to continue to be cautious with Klay but you never know how these games are going to go,” Kerr said. “And last game, both Steph and Klay, played about 22, 23 minutes, and that helped matters in terms of how it informs us for the rest of the trip but just gotta kind of wait and see after each game.”
Kerr previously said there’s not a specific science or formula to determine when Thompson could be ready to play in games on consecutive nights.
“We’re still working towards that,” Kerr said.
Sunday marked the start of the Warriors’ ninth set of back-to-backs this season. They have six more remaining.
Latest on Andre Iguodala
Andre Iguodala sat out Sunday’s game in Chicago after he walked away from the Warriors’ last game with hip soreness.
Iguodala, who turns 39 in two weeks, is considered day-to-day and could miss Monday’s game, according to Kerr.
Iguodala averaged 2.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 14 minutes over his first three games since making his debut earlier this month. During that span, he threw down a pair of dunks and appeared to wobble away from the most recent one during the blowout win over the Spurs Friday.
Asked whether he’s going to tell Iguodala to stop dunking, Kerr joked, “Yep, that was my secret so I stayed healthy.”
Jonathan Kuminga (sprained right foot), James Wiseman (sprained left ankle) and JaMychal Green (infection) also didn’t suit up in Chicago. The trio continues to make progress, but Kerr doesn’t have a timeline for their returns.
Kerr’s return to Chicago
Kerr’s go-to spot in Chicago when he has an off night in Chicago is Second City, a comedy club on the city’s north side. But on Saturday, Kerr and several other Warriors staffers spent their evening taking in a junior hockey game.
Kerr joined Dr. Rick Celebrini, the team’s director of sports medicine and performance, at a USHL game Saturday night in Geneva to support Celebrini’s 16-year-old son. Draymond Green and assistant coach Jama Mahlalela were also among the group who made the treck to the western suburb to support Macklin Celebrini, a star center on the Chicago Steel who’s signed to play next season for Boston University.
The Steel fell 4-2 to the Madison Capitols but it still made for a memorable night.
“It was fantastic,” Kerr said. “It’s always fun coming back here.”
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