Steph is out for preseason finale, will be ready for Warriors opener originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors’ preseason finale Friday night at Chase Center against the Los Angeles Lakers won’t include a handful of the game’s biggest stars.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr expected to use all of his regular players, but Steph Curry was ruled out after spraining his right index finger Thursday in practice.
The Lakers will be without LeBron James and Anthony Davisas well as D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.
Whenever Curry can’t play, it’s worrisome at first, but Kerr made it clear that keeping his superstar point guard out is nothing more than being safe.
“He’ll be ready for Portland,” Kerr said.
Curry first blocked the injured finger against the Sacramento Kings a week ago in a 109-106 Warriors win. He played just 16 minutes, scoring six points with four assists and three rebounds. Curry was then held out of the Warriors’ next preseason game two days later, but played 28 minutes Tuesday against the Lakers.
However, even in that game Curry was seen shaking and holding his finger several times.
“It’s not serious, just a precaution,” Kerr continued.
Curry scored 16 points on 6-of-18 shooting and was 3 of 11 from 3-point range three nights ago against the Lakers. He also added six assists, five rebounds and two steals.
De’Anthony Melton will start in Curry’s place Friday night against the Lakers, joining Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Green is only expected to play the first half now that Curry can’t go.
“This is definitely not a dress rehearsal,” Kerr said. “I think we were planning on it, but when Steph came out it changed our thinking.”
The Warriors are a perfect 5-0 this preseason entering their final game of the exhibition slate. They will play the Portland Trail Blazers in the regular-season opener Wednesday night at Moda Center.
