Stephen Curry is aware that even though he and Andre Iguodala are both back from injuries, nothing is certain.
Iguodala played for the first time since Jan. 13 and only the fourth time this season after battling hip ailments, while Curry returned from an 11-game absence due to a left leg injury for Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Starting with Tuesday’s game against the host Oklahoma City Thunder, Curry and the Warriors are hoping for better results down the road.
In Golden State’s loss on Sunday, Curry shot 8 of 20 overall and 5 of 13 from beyond the arc, snapping the team’s five-game winning streak.
The Warriors are just five games behind the No. 1 team heading into Tuesday’s game. 2nd place in the Western Conference, just one game ahead of the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers, the first two play-in teams.
Tuesday’s down is the second of a stretch wherein the Fighters play eight of 10 games from home.
The Warriors are just 7-24 outside of San Francisco, despite the fact that Golden State is 27-7 at home this season—only Denver has more wins at home than any other Western Conference team.
Golden State is the final game in a six-game homestand for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City has won back-to-back games after dropping their first three games, extending their overall losing streak to five. Over the weekend, the Thunder won both of their games against Utah.
Curry’s return went a little bit more smoothly than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s.
In Sunday’s victory over the Jazz, Gilgeous-Alexander, who returned after missing five games, scored 38 points on 10-of-17 shooting.
Before returning, Gilgeous-Alexander was subjected to the league’s health and safety protocols and was suffering from an abdominal strain.
Thunder mentor Imprint Daigneault changed Gilgeous-Alexander’s normal turn, in some measure in his most memorable game back.
This season, the teams have met three times, including on Tuesday. With an average of 134.5 points per game, Golden State has won the first two games.
Klay Thompson scored 42 points and made 12 3-pointers in the most recent matchup, which took place in San Francisco on February 6 and saw Golden State win 141-114. Even without Curry, the Warriors made 26 3-pointers in that victory.
