Stephen Curry

As the Golden State Warriors gear up for the start of the postseason, they could get a major boost to their lineup.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters that "there's a chance" star point guard Stephen Curry returns from his monthlong absence in Game 1 of the playoffs. Curry hasn't played since suffering a left foot sprain March 16.

Kerr added that Curry's status will be determined by how much he's able to get on the court for practice this week. Curry has been optimistic about his chances to get back in time for the playoffs.

"My goal is to get back for Game 1 of the playoffs," Curry told Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi on ESPN's The Bird & Taurasi Show last week. "Injuries suck. The timing is hopefully on your side in terms of getting back to as close to 100 percent as possible, which is my goal."

The Warriors initially struggled mightily with Curry out of the lineup, losing six of their first seven games after he suffered the injury. But Golden State has finished the year strong, winning four straight heading into Sunday's regular-season finale against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Curry's absence has opened up opportunities for Warriors third-year guard Jordan Poole, who has done a solid job filling the two-time MVP's shoes. Poole averaged 25.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists in the month of March, leading the NBA with 67 made three-pointers while shooting 44.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Warriors star shooting guard Klay Thompson has also settled into a groove recently, scoring over 30 points in three of his last five games. When Curry returns, Golden State will have one of the most potent offenses in the playoffs.

LeBron James says he wants to play with Stephen Curry someday.

It does not appear the feeling is particularly mutual.

"Well, he got his wish. He's the captain. He's picked me the last two All-Star Games. I don't know if that suffices, but I'm good right now. I'm good right now," Curry said of potentially playing with James during an appearance on 95.7 The Game.

In a clip released Wednesday ahead of this week's The Shop, James said Curry is the current NBA player he would most want to play with.

"In today's game, s--t, there some motherf--kers in today's game, but Steph Curry," James said. "Steph Curry is the one that I want to play with for sure in today's game. ... I love everything about that guy. Lethal. Steph, when he get out his car, you better guard him right from the moment he pulls up to the arena. Soon as he get out of his car, you better guard his ass."

As flattering as James' comments were, Curry made it clear a pairing would only happen in a "fantasy world."

"Whenever you get the interest or curiosity of what it'd be like to play with arguably an MVP-caliber dude like he is and one of the greatest of all time, cool. It's amazing. We all can't live in that fantasy world, though," Curry said.

Of course, it's pretty easy to see why James would be dreaming of finding some new co-stars—particularly at the point guard spot. The Lakers were eliminated from playoff contention with a loss Tuesday to the Phoenix Suns, capping off arguably the most miserable season of James' career.

While James competed for the scoring title, he was saddled with a completely miscast group of supporting players, most notably Russell Westbrook. James and Westbrook never came close to meshing together on the floor, and the Lakers floundered as Anthony Davis dealt with injuries.

It's not hard to look a few hours north and see Curry and the Warriors thriving and wish for greener pastures.

That said, Curry seems perfectly content with the teammates he has right now.

LeBron James is looking to the future as a disappointing 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers wraps up.

On an upcoming episode of The Shop (h/t Joe Price of Complex), James said his son Bronny is the "No. 1" person he wants to play with at the NBA level.

James said: "Not too long ago, I asked him, 'What you wanna do with this? You wanna get to the pros? What you wanna do?' He's like, 'Yeah.' I said, 'Why?' He said, 'Because I wanna make a name for myself.' ... That's all I needed to hear."

This is not the first time James has said he wants to play with his oldest son, who will be eligible for the 2024 NBA draft if the one-and-done rule remains.

"My last year will be played with my son," James said during the All-Star break in February, per Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. "Wherever Bronny is at, that's where I'll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It's not about the money at that point."

LeBron also said Stephen Curry is the top current player he would like to be teammates with, noting: "When he gets out of his car, you better guard him, right from the moment he pulls up to the arena."

Perhaps no player in NBA history could take advantage of the spacing James creates more than Curry, and stopping that combination would be daunting for any defense.

The Golden State Warriors have clinched a spot in the 2022 NBA postseason with a 111-107 win against the Utah Jazz on Saturday at Chase Center.

A 36-point night from Klay Thompson and a 31-point performance from Jordan Poole helped the Warriors hold off a second-half push from the Jazz. 

The Warriors were destined to make the playoffs this season after failing to do so the last two years. Golden State retooled its roster during the offseason by drafting Jonathan Kuminga and adding players like Otto Porter Jr., among others.

However, one of the biggest differences for the Warriors this year has been the return of Thompson. The veteran guard missed each of the last two seasons with a torn ACL and a ruptured Achilles.

The 32-year-old entered Saturday's game averaging 18.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 41.3 percent from the floor and 36.5 percent from deep in 29 games. His performance, coupled with that of Stephen Curry's early on, has helped power the Dubs this season. 

Curry was in the MVP conversation after averaging 25.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists while shooting 43.7 percent from the floor and 38.0 percent from deep in 64 games. But he hasn't played since March 16 when he suffered a sprained ligament in his foot.

Andrew Wiggins has also played a significant role for the Warriors this season. The combination of Curry, Thompson and Wiggins coupled with Draymond Green and James Wiseman, if they return from injury, could make the Warriors one of the most difficult teams to play against down the stretch. 

The Warriors are 49-29, third place in the Western Conference. The team's final standing and first-round playoff matchup will be determined soon. It'll be interesting to see how they compete with the Phoenix Suns moving forward.  

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry told reporters he doesn't believe Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart was trying to hurt him when he rolled into his left leg while diving for a loose ball during Wednesday's game.

The injury occurred during Boston's 110-88 win over Golden State.

Curry is sidelined indefinitely with a sprained ligament in his left foot, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. X-rays did not show fractures or "major damage."

Curry spoke more about the injury at a press conference Sunday and believes he will be back before the first game of the NBA playoffs.

The Warriors' regular season ends on April 10, with the playoffs set to begin April 16 and 17 for all 16 teams.

The 47-23 Warriors, who sit third in the Western Conference, have 12 regular-season games remaining.

Golden State opted to place Jordan Poole in the backcourt alongside Klay Thompson in their first matchup sans Curry, a Sunday night home game versus the San Antonio Spurs. Chris Chiozza and Damion Lee also figure to see more time off the bench.

The 34-year-old Curry is averaging 25.5 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry suffered a foot injury Wednesday night against the Boston Celtics and would not return, the team announced.

Curry suffered the injury in a tangle with the Celtics' Marcus Smart and went to the locker room just before halftime.

Curry has put together another MVP-caliber season to help the Warriors reemerge as one of the NBA's most prominent championship contenders. He's averaged 25.8 points, 6.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 threes across 63 appearances in 2021-22.

The 34-year-old Davidson product has dealt with a variety of minor ailments throughout the campaign, including hip, quad, hand and toe injuries, but nothing that's sidelined him for an extended period. He last missed significant time in 2019-20 with a broken bone in his hand.

Draymond Green takes on more ball-handling responsibility whenever Curry is sidelined, and the return of Klay Thompson bolstered the Dubs' backcourt depth in a major way.

In terms of additional playing time, Gary Payton II, Damion Lee and Chris Chiozza are among the reserve guards who could see an uptick in minutes.

Golden State is on cruise control toward the playoffs. While seeding is a factor, the team can still be conservative with any injuries its stars deal with down the stretch in hopes the roster is as close to full strength as possible for the postseason.