SAN FRANCISCO – Jimmy Butler likes to seek advice from Steph Curry as “Batman,” an otherworldly expertise who can bail the Warriors out of many a tricky spot.
After a five-game absence brought on by a left quad harm suffered on Nov. 26 towards the Rockets, Golden State’s superhero is ready to return throughout Friday’s residence recreation towards the Timberwolves.
The Warriors may have had 4 days off between Sunday’s blowout victory in Chicago and the matchup with Minnesota, due to the NBA Cup schedule.
Curry spent the final three highway video games figuring out with the Warriors’ medical workers within the Bay Space and practiced with the staff at Chase Heart on Wednesday afternoon.
“For Friday, he’s day-to-day, but its looking good,” coach Steve Kerr stated.
Curry was a full participant in follow, and was concerned within the staff’s scrimmage.
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) pauses as he holds his leg in ache within the fourth quarter of an NBA recreation towards the Houston Rockets at Chase Heart in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
The staff survived Curry’s absence, going 3-2 and placing up a stunning 2-1 file on the latest Japanese Convention journey to Philadelphia, Cleveland and Chicago.
Unheralded 29-year-old guard Pat Spencer was a revelation as an athletic and energetic pick-and-roll guard, scoring in double-figures in every of the final 4 video games and beginning twice.
Spencer will head again to the bench as Golden State’s franchise participant returns, however nonetheless count on him to get loads of minutes.
“I think its the shooting, the threat from long range,” Kerr stated. “He’ll be in the rotation for sure.”.
In his seventeenth season, Curry has remained an elite participant. He’s averaging 27.9 factors and 4.0 assists per recreation whereas capturing 39.1% from behind the 3-point line.
He has scored not less than 30 factors in seven of the 16 video games he has performed this season, together with three 40-point video games.
His subsequent 40-point recreation will break a tie (44 video games) with Michael Jordan for probably the most video games with not less than 40 factors scored since turning 30.
This was the second absence of the season for Curry. He missed three video games in October and early November with a extreme sickness that had him bedridden for a number of days.
Frontcourt veteran Draymond Inexperienced (proper foot) is anticipated to be out there for Friday’s matchup with Minnesota, the primary time the groups have performed because the Timberwolves eradicated the Warriors in 5 video games through the second spherical of final spring’s playoffs.
Inexperienced missed the previous two video games with a proper foot sprain suffered through the Philadelphia loss, which can be the final recreation Al Horford performed. Horford has performed in just one recreation since Nov. 21 towards the Path Blazers, and can stay out for Friday with sciatica.
Whereas Curry, Inexperienced and Horford are anticipated to obtain minutes, Jonathan Kuminga’s standing is unsure.
The ahead, who signed a two-year, $46 million extension this summer season, was a wholesome scratch for the Warriors in Chicago, drawing hypothesis about his future with the staff. Kerr stated he spoke to Kuminga earlier than follow, and is keen to be “coached hard.”
“I can imagine its not easy for him, and we’ve talked about the situation,” Kerr stated. “My desire for JK is for him to become the best player he can be, regardless of where he ends up, whether its here or elsewhere.”
Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga (1) and Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II (0) sit courtside earlier than the beginning of their NBA recreation at Chase Heart in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)