Steph Curry speaks to reporters after the Warriors’ loss to the Suns on Tuesday night.
Steph Curry's highly anticipated return to the Warriors' lineup Tuesday night didn't go as planned.
In addition to a slow start for Curry, the Warriors played a lifeless, sloppy game and suffered their third straight home loss, falling 125-113 to the Phoenix Suns at Chase Center.
Curry missed the previous 11 games due to a left shoulder subluxation and his lack of rhythm was evident over the first three quarters. The reigning NBA Finals MVP scored five points in the first, was held scoreless in the second and added just three more in the third.
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SIGN UP HERE Entering the fourth quarter, Curry had eight points in just under 20 minutes and the Warriors trailed by 19 points.
That's when both Curry and the Warriors figured things out, though it wasn't enough to pull off a miraculous comeback.
Curry scored 16 of his 24 points in the final quarter, sparking the Warriors, who won the period 34-27 and got as close as six before the Suns finished out the game.
"Obviously, after four weeks, it's kind of hit-or-miss on how much rust you'll have and how quickly you can get up to the speed of the game," Curry told reporters after the game. "Obviously with the flow, with the way they were playing, first quarter felt good just to be back out there running with my guys and feeling the energy in the building again. And then kind of hit a lull in the second and third quarter. I felt like I got stronger as the game went on, which is exciting know the body will respond."
A visibly frustrated Steve Kerr took the blame for the Warriors' 21st loss of the season, but he was pleased with how Curry looked as the game progressed.
"Steph looked really good in the second half," Kerr told reporters. "He found his legs underneath him and had to feel the game out for a while. Coming off that kind of absence, it's going to take some time. But I thought he found something in the second half."
All things considered, the Warriors should be happy with a 5-3 homestand in which Curry missed seven of the games. But ending it with three straight losses to the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic and Suns leaves a very bitter taste in their mouths. Golden State knows it should have won all three games.
Instead of heading out on a tough five-game road trip with a 23-18 record, they head to San Antonio with a 20-21 record.
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The good news for the Warriors is that Curry is back and if he's able to quickly return to the MVP level he was playing at before the injury, they might be able to go on a run that gives them a chance to finish in the top half of the Western Conference standings by April.
"[Going] on this road trip and being able to build back my endurance to where it was before the injury and then hopefully get everybody on the same page on how we need to go through this road trip and find a way to right the ship after these last three games," Curry told reporters.
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The first step is beating the Spurs in front of nearly 65,000 people at the Alamodome on Friday. If they can do that, it might just be the springboard they need to get their season turned around.