Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors’ superstar, is being cautious about his current ankle injury because he does not want to risk worsening it during the most vital time of the season.

“You can’t fast-forward or cheat the healing process,” Curry told reporters following Friday’s practice in Los Angeles. “There are some that are kinda on the fence with whether you can push through it and not make it worse, just deal with the pain.”

Curry overcame ankle injuries early in his NBA career before achieving superstardom. So he understands how difficult this type of injury is, especially for him because he is constantly moving on the floor.

“I’ve been through all types of injuries and this one was one where there was a certain time frame to let my ankle heal,” Curry said. “And then we’ll do some work on the court to rebuild. It is difficult to miss games, but you must recognize that you cannot make matters worse. This is especially true given the current season.

Curry has missed the Warriors’ past three games. But coach Steve Kerr is confident that their leading scorer will play on Saturday, March 16, in a critical game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Curry returned to on-court training on Tuesday, March 12, five days after spraining his right ankle late in their March 7 home loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Kerr recently stated that Curry attended the Santa Cruz Warriors’ practice on Wednesday, March 13, when they were in Dallas. Friday’s practice in Los Angeles marks his first with the team since the injury.

The Warriors have gone 1-2 since Curry’s injury, and 1-3 overall this season without him.

Steph Curry plans to play against the Lakers

Kerr informed reporters that he expects Curry to return against the Lakers, according to Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle.

“That is the plan. It’s nice to be back with the team. According to Gordon, Curry told reporters that he had a good energy level.

Curry’s lifetime averages versus the Lakers are 22.3 points, 7.2 assists, and 4.9 rebounds, according to Statmuse.

Steve Kerr believes a great run is on the Warriors’ horizon.Despite their recent decline, Kerr remains hopeful about their postseason prospects.

“The season is truly a marathon,” Kerr told reporters after their 109-99 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, March 12. “I still have no doubt that this team can get on a great run and make a good push.”

Their most recent loss keeps them in 10th place in the West, behind the Lakers by one game, creating a playoff-like atmosphere for Saturday’s game.

“I still like who our team is,” Kerr explained. “We hope to have Steph back on Saturday. I like the team a lot more today than I did a few months ago, when we were going through a lot of changes. I believe we have an identity, we know who we are, we will recover, and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.”