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Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN writer
PHOENIX — Stephen Curry says tendinitis in both knees is something he hasn’t dealt with before, but that he and the Golden State Warriors are getting ahead of themselves to try to make sure it doesn’t become a “nuisance” issue. .
After missing a game due to bilateral knee soreness, Curry returned and scored 23 points in 32 minutes, but was unable to prevent the Warriors from losing their fourth straight game with a 113-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns at the Footprint Center. on Saturday.
“[It] has the potential [to be] “It’s kind of annoying if you don’t take care of it,” Curry said of the knee pain after the game. “I’m not worried about that, I’m not worried at all. It’s just that the further you get into your career, the more things come up and you have to figure them out.”
Curry, 36, said Rick Celebrini, the Warriors’ vice president of player health and performance, has put together a protocol to get ahead of the problem. Curry said he’s not sure if that means he’ll have to miss any games for maintenance reasons.
“Honestly, I was happy to get through this playing 30 and not feel like things were going the other way,” Curry said. “I felt like I was pretty strong. I got stronger as the game went on and they responded well. Whether that’s why [sitting] a back-to-back here or there or whatever, we’ll decide as we go.
“But I’m just trying to control how I feel and know that it’s not a forced decision. It’s a smart decision. That’s all I’m trying to make possible.”
Curry missed Wednesday’s 105-101 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder with what the team called “bilateral knee pain; patellofemoral.”
He missed three games earlier this season with an ankle injury. He has also been on the injury report with bursitis in his left knee, but did not miss a game due to that injury. He came into Saturday’s game with an average of 29 minutes.
“He’s 36 years old,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of having to take care of Curry’s knees. “This is all part of getting older and managing your minutes, your body, and Rick and his staff are the best in the world at what they do, and we’re working together every day on these things. So we’ll figure it out.” outside.”
Curry got off to a slow start in Phoenix, shooting 0 for 5 from the field and scoring just two points in the first half. Curry scored 15 points in the third quarter and the Warriors cut a 17-point deficit to five with 1:11 left, but Devin Booker made four free throws to lead the Suns to victory.
Curry has two days off before the Warriors try to snap their four-game skid in Denver against MVP Nikola Jokic on Tuesday.
“I had to play better in the first half, get going,” Curry said. “YO [was] I’m just trying it out and seeing how they respond with the little break. But it was good in every way. “The juice started flowing in the second half and I hope that carries over personally, but we have a lot to figure out as a team.”
