Curry opens up on his return to action after a months-long absence from sciatica.
It took Seth Curry all of eight seconds to remind everyone what he can do on a basketball court.
The 35-year-old guard checked into Monday night's game against the Utah Jazz and immediately splashed a wide-open three-pointer on his very first possession, and it set the tone for what turned out to be a solid return performance.
The Warriors ended up falling to the Jazz 119-116 in a game where Golden State was shorthanded once again, but Curry's return was one of the biggest bright spots of the night.
After the game, Curry spoke about what it meant to finally get back on the floor after missing over three months with a sciatic nerve issue that had kept him sidelined since December 4.
"Felt great. Felt great," Curry said. "Always helps when they give you a wide open shot when you get in there, but, been working hard this past however many months to try to get back. I don't know if I would make it back at all, but, it's good to get out there, get my feet wet, and try to contribute in whatever way I can."
Curry Looked Like He Never Left
For someone who hadn't played in a real game since early December, Curry showed very little rust in his 12 minutes of action against Utah.
He finished the night with 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and he even knocked down all three of his free throw attempts in the first half.
In the second half, he proved he was more than just a spot-up shooter by attacking closeouts and getting to the rim for a pair of two-point buckets in the third quarter.
Curry led the NBA in three-point percentage last season at 45.7% while playing for the Charlotte Hornets, and that kind of shooting is exactly what this Warriors team needs right now as they try to make a push toward the postseason.
What Curry's Return Means for Golden State
The Warriors dropped to 32-32 with the loss to the 20-45 Jazz on Monday night, falling back to .500 and sitting tied for the ninth seed in the Western Conference with the Los Angeles Clippers.
With Stephen Curry still sidelined due to right patellofemoral pain syndrome and Jimmy Butler done for the season after tearing his ACL, every healthy body matters for Golden State down the stretch.
Brandin Podziemski has been carrying a heavy load this season, averaging 12.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game across 50 games, and players like De'Anthony Melton, Gui Santos, and Draymond Green have all stepped up in the absence of the team's stars.
Adding Seth Curry back into the mix gives the Warriors another reliable scorer off the bench who can space the floor and take pressure off the rest of the rotation.
A Long Road Back
Curry's return was far from certain at any point during his rehab, and he admitted as much after the game when he said he wasn't sure he would make it back at all.
The sciatica issue kept him out for roughly 40 games after he had burst onto the scene in early December with a 14-point performance on 6-of-7 shooting in just his second game with the team.
Now, with 18 games left in the regular season, Curry has a chance to find his rhythm and give the Warriors a weapon they have been missing for months.
Head coach Steve Kerr was encouraged by what he saw from Curry on Monday, noting that he looked great physically and that seeing him out there was "really fun" even though the team still needs time to figure out the best ways to use him.
If Curry can stay healthy and continue to shoot the way he did against Utah, the Warriors will have a much better chance of holding onto a playoff spot as the season winds down.