Golden State Warriors 5 keys to series vs. Spurs

3. Resist the temptation to bring Curry back early

Stephen Curry is one of the five best basketball players in the world, with specific abilities that cannot be matched by anyone else. His range, his confidence, his shot-making inside, his infectious energy, his leadership — no one else can replicate Steph Curry.

The Warriors will miss all of that and more as they play their first round series. With Quinn Cook and Nick Young filling many of his minutes, they may miss simply his playoff experience most of all. With that being said, head coach Steve Kerr must resist the temptation to bring Curry back earlier than is best for his injury.

Two years ago when Stephen Curry had a similar injury in the postseason — albeit a milder Grade 1 MCL sprain, compared to a Grade 2 this year — he came back sooner than expected and clearly was not 100 percent through the rest of the playoffs. That was a contributing factor to the Cleveland Cavaliers coming back from a 3-1 deficit to win the title.

To get a healthy Curry, one who can truly change games and propel this team to their third title in four years, the Warriors will have to be patient. That means letting him rest if they lose Game 1 of their first round series to the Spurs. Or if they are down 2-1 in the count. The Warriors need Curry healthy to reach their goals, and that means waiting until he gets healthy before putting him back on the court.