Warriors guard Stephen Curry expects to return to action Sunday for Game 4 against the Rockets after missing Games 2 and 3 with a sprained right ankle.
Curry told reporters Friday that he wanted to play in Thursday's 97-96 loss but Warriors coach Steve Kerr said it wasn't worth the risk.
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"It was their call," Curry said Friday, via ESPN. "If I would have got the green light I definitely would have played and felt confident there. Hopefully that leads to even more confidence come Sunday."
It sounds like Curry isn't letting anyone tell him no for Game 4. He even said he would be "very" surprised if anyone tried to sit him for Sunday's contest.
But Curry said he's still struggling during full-speed drills and he's not quite pain-free. Curry also said his explosion and change of direction is "awful."
"I'm sure coach and the athletic training staff are on similar wavelengths of being more on the cautions side, obviously," Curry said. "I've been pretty honest about just how I feel, making sure I don't do anything to damage my ankle even further, put myself in a bad position. ... We want to get a proper feedback and not hide things.
"I think I could play through a little bit of discomfort and what not, especially in a playoff kind of situation. They have kind of the thought if there is any ounce of instability or doubt, to be on the more cautious side."
Curry's absence has made this series, one that many believed would be an easy sweep for the Warriors, one of the more intriguing matchups of the first round.