"But I learned a lot just from watching Klay's comeback" - Steph Curry reveals what pushed him to come off the bench in Game 1 against Denver Nuggets
NBA superstar Steph Curry returned to the Golden State Warriors lineup after a month-long injury layoff for Game 1 of the round one series against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Curry came off the bench in his first game back, which was a tad surprising.
However, he has had very little time to ramp up, and that influenced the decision for him to come off the bench against Denver. Speaking about his return, Curry mentioned several other reasons why he thought it was best for him not to start in his first game back. He also spoke about whether he would start in his next game or come off the bench, saying (via Warriors on NBCS):
"I have no expectations on what's next. We're always trying to figure this out, because this is kinda a tough situation to deal with in terms of the quick ramp up that I've had, and this is a playoff type intensity and atmosphere. But I learned a lot just from watching Klay's comeback, knowing there's an energy to start, in terms of this is what I do and what I expect, but also how can I make these minutes the most impactful."
Steph Curry played 21 minutes on his return. He scored 16 points, going three of six from 3-point range and looked impressive in his limited time on the court.
Steph shared how watching Klay's return contributed to his decision to come off the bench in Game 1 https://t.co/mfug2XB89a
Why Steph Curry's decision to come off the bench paid off for Golden State Warriors
Steph Curry coming off the bench proved to be a wise decision for the Golden State Warriors against the Denver Nuggets. Curry is returning from a month-long injury layoff, and without a proper ramp-up, it will be an uphill task for him to find his rhythm over the next few games.
With a minute restriction, Curry rediscovering his rhythm was going to be tougher. Allowing him to shrug off his rust in playoff games was never going to be a convenient option, especially when the Warriors had an in-form player like Jordan Poole prepared to start in Curry's place.
Jordan Poole is different 😤
https://t.co/YQvezK0Zla
Poole delivered as expected when given the opportunity. He scored a team-high 30 points in his first-ever playoff game, shooting nine of 13 from the floor, including five of seven from 3-point range. Meanwhile, Draymond Geen and Klay Thompson also played their part to perfection, which relieved the pressure off Steph Curry to make an instant impact.
Curry took his time to get going, and once he did, he managed to make a decent impact, helping the Warriors with his crucial 16-point effort off the bench. The Golden State Warriors can continue to stick to their rotation from Game 1 in the next game as the Nuggets did not seem to have an answer to the Dubs' efficient two-way play, despite Curry coming off the bench.