Curry has missed the back-to-back defending champions’ last 10 games with a left groin strain sustained against the Milwaukee Bucks.
But ahead of a highly-anticipated road trip to the league-leading Raptors in the early hours of tomorrow (1am UK time/8pm tonight EST), Curry will has been ruled out.
That’s despite returning to practice without any ill effects earlier this week.
Steve Kerr admitted before facing the Raptors: “He wants to play. He’s ready to play. He’s dying to play. If this were a playoff game, he would absolutely be playing. But it’s November. Caution is the word of the day.”
The Warriors have missed the two-time MVP, going 5-5 in his absence as well as losing the game against the Bucks in which he left mid-way through the third quarter after pulling up.
Curry was averaging 29.5 points per game, shooting just shy of 50 per-cent from three-point range, as well as 6.1 assists and five rebounds before he got hurt.
But though another All-Star starter in Draymond Green is also out injured, the Warriors won’t rush their star man Curry back – something he admits is frustrating ahead of such a thrilling showdown.
He told reporters: “It is what it is. We have a lot of smart people that are taking care of us and are trying to make sure we’re protected from ourselves in certain situations.
“Obviously it’s been three weeks or so, so I’m itching to get back. I’m excited that the end is near but I love coming to Toronto so it’s a little bit disappointing not to play.
“[They were] Normal conversations like every time. When I feel like I’m ready to play, that’s when the conversations start.
“It’s just a matter of their assessment and understanding the process of getting back to 100 per-cent and making sure when you step back on the floor, that’s the only thing you’re worried about, not playing that back and forth game.
“Probably Monday, no coincidence it was a game day, you get that different vibe. But in the pick-up games and how intense the workouts got, I was pretty much symptom free.
“You have to worry about building strength and stuff like that, especially with a muscle injury, but Monday was the first day I was like, ‘This should be over really soon’.”
Curry – whose father Dell played for the Raptors for three seasons – admits that it is frustrating not to be involved given he is so close to a return.
He added: “You feel like you know how your body feels, you wake up and you get excited thinking you’re a little further along than you really are.
“But in terms of the rehab process and all that sort of stuff, I just love playing basketball and I want to get back out there as soon as possible.
“When you get that close, every game that you have to wait is tough.”
And the match-up against Toronto, who are 18-4 for the season and have the best winning streak in the league with six consecutive triumphs, is another reason he is disappointed to miss out.
He said: “It was a big part of it. No better test than the best team in the East right now.
“But it’s November, a lot of time left for things to ramp up for the playoffs and to see how things shape up.
“They’re a talented team, they’ve proven that early in the year with new additions, Kawhi and Danny Green, it’s a different look. I’ll be watching.”
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