Steve Kerr Provides Update on Steph Curry's Availability for Timberwolves Game

Steve Kerr said that Stephen Curry practiced in full Wednesday and that it is looking "promising" for him to return to the Warriors for Friday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Curry has missed the last five games with a quad injury.

The Warriors have gone 2-3 in his five-game absence, and overall they are 4-5 without him this season.

Who Will Start with Steph When He Returns?

Assuming Draymond Green returns from his foot injury, the Warriors will start Curry, Green and Butler. The other two spots are not certain.

I'm expecting Quinten Post to start at center. The second-year big had a great road trip, and his defense continues to be a major plus for Golden State.

The Warriors are 12.4 points per 100 possessions better with Post on the floor than when he's off, per Cleaning the Glass. That differential ranks in the 97th percentile.

That leaves the biggest mystery of all, which is who will start at shooting guard.

I argued here that it should be De'Anthony Melton, but Melton is in just his third game back from being out for more than a year, so he could still be ramping up.

If not Melton, the Warriors could go with Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody or Buddy Hield.

Podz is coming off his best game in weeks, so he might get the nod. But over the long haul, Melton's superior point-of-attack defense should make him the perfect complement to the rest of the starters.

Kerr Says Spencer Will Play with Curry

On Tuesday, Kerr said on 95.7 The Game that Pat Spencer will play with Curry "some and we'll see."

Curry and Spencer are listed at 6'2", so lineups with both could struggle defensively. With that said, Curry has played with a more traditional point guard before.

For example, Curry and Chris Paul (6'0") played 1,232 possessions together in the 2023-24 season, and Golden State's net rating was plus-8.1.

My guess is Spencer will play most of minutes in the non-Curry minutes with Butler.

In 162 possessions, the Spencer-Butler lineups have a dominant plus-37.0 net rating.