After a 12-3 start to the season, the Golden State Warriors have hit a wall, losing four straight games. To make matters worse, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have been banged up as of late. There would be no better time for the Warriors to pick up a victory than in Tuesday night’s NBA Cup game against the Denver Nuggets, which is why the health of their two stars is vital.
However, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over this franchise in terms of how healthy Curry and Green actually are. It is worth noting that Curry recently missed a game with knee soreness, and Green has been dealing with numerous knicks and bruises to start the 2024-25 season. Although the Dubs have already clinched their spot in the knockout round of the NBA Cup, this game in Denver offers a chance for the team to finally get back on the right track and end their losing skid.
With both of the Warriors’ stars being on the injury report, many are now asking: Will Stephen Curry and Draymond Green play against the Nuggets on Tuesday night?
Stephen Curry, Draymond Green’s injury status vs. Nuggets
Curry missed Wednesday night’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with what was being labeled as bilateral patellofemoral pain. The Warriors went on to lose this game 105-101 in a hard-fought home loss. The good news is that this injury wasn’t going to keep Curry out for a prolonged period of time, as he returned and led the team with 23 points in a 113-1105 loss to the Phoenix Suns.
At this point in their respective careers, Curry and Green will have to battle pain and soreness, which is why they are back on the injury report ahead of Tuesday’s NBA Cup game. Curry is expected to suit up and play through his knee pain after being listed as probable, but Green is a different story. Draymond is listed as questionable to play against the Nuggets due to left calf tightness.
When asked about Green’s status and availability after practice on Monday, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was not too optimistic about Draymond’s chances of playing in this NBA Cup game.
“Obviously, doubtful tomorrow. I would call it doubtful. We have to be careful for the reasons you’re asking this question. Doubtful tomorrow; we’ll see how he holds up,” Kerr said of Green. “But this is what it’s going to be for our team at this point in Draymond and Steph’s careers. We’re going to try and keep their minutes down as best we can. You gotta try to keep them healthy by being proactive. If they’re dealing with nagging injuries like Steph’s knees last week, like Draymond’s calf now, we gotta manage it all for sure.”
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Golden State has been very cautious about allocating significant minutes to Draymond and Steph early on in the season, which is why both stars are averaging less than 30 minutes per game.
While it seems likely that Curry will suit up, Green missing his first game of the season appears to be a very likely scenario. If Green is ruled out, expect to see Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, and Kyle Anderson play increased minutes with elevated roles next to Curry.
Much like how Curry was able to return after his one-game absence, it is not expected that Green would miss a string of games if he is to miss this NBA Cup game against the Nuggets.
So, when it comes to whether Curry and Green will play in Tuesday night’s NBA Cup game in Denver, the Warriors will provide clearer details after practice and shootaround.