Warriors-Nuggets: Full series schedule beneficial for Steph Curry’s possible return
The Warriors already knew when Game 1 of their first round playoff series against the Nuggets was set to be played.
Late Tuesday night, the found out the rest of the schedule, too — and it couldn’t turn out better for the Warriors and their injured superstar, Steph Curry.
The NBA announced the dates for Games 2-7 of the Warriors-Nuggets after the two 7-seeds won the play-in tournament games on Tuesday night.
The Warriors will start by hosting their first two playoff games at the Chase Center on Saturday afternoon and Monday night, with Game 1’s tip time scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and Game 2 slated for a 7 p.m. tip. The teams will then get two days off before they play Game 3 in Denver, then an additional two days before Game 4. It would be an additional two-day break before potential Game 5 in San Francisco.
It’s a favorable schedule for a Warriors team hoping to get Curry to return soon. Tuesday’s update didn’t provide any new clarity on the timeline in Curry’s recovery from a left foot sprained ligament and bone bruise.
The three two-day breaks in a row could end up being vital for getting Curry back in game action, as Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Tuesday it was “essential” for Curry to get into a scrimmage with the Warriors before he’d return to game action. A second off day between games could allow the Warriors to scrimmage more regularly than they normally would in-season — and provide Curry a chance to test his foot out before returning.
If the series went deep, it would be back to a single travel day in between games for what would be elimination games in Games 6 and 7. The latest the series could wrap up is on Sunday, May 1 at the Chase Center. The game times for Games 5, 6 and 7 are not known and likely won’t be announced until it’s determined that they are necessary.
Tuesday night, the Timberwolves defeated the Clippers 109-104 to earn the seventh seed in the Western Conference. Minnesota will take on the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies. The winner of that series will face the winner of Denver-Golden State in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Warriors-Nuggets playoff schedule: Date, location, time, television station (All times Pacific)
Game 1: Saturday, April 16 in San Francisco — 5:30 p.m., ABC
Game 2: Monday, April 18 in San Francisco — 7 p.m., NBC Sports Bay Area
Game 3: Thursday, April 21 in Denver – 7 p.m., NBC Sports Bay Area
Game 4: Sunday, April 24 in Denver — 12:30 p.m., ABC
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, April 27 in San Francisco — TBD, TBD
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, April 29 in Denver — TBD, TBD
Game 7 (if necessary): Sunday, May 1 in San Francisco — TBD, TBD