Is Steph Curry playing tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers? | January 20th, 2023 | 2022-23 NBA Season

Fresh off an overtime loss against the Boston Celtics, Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors are back in action Friday night. Next up on their schedule is a meeting with Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Warriors are expected to be without Curry against the Cleveland Cavaliers. As per the Warriors' injury report, Steph Curry is listed out for tonight's matchup against the Cavaliers.

Just last week, Curry returned from close to a month on the sidelines due to injury. In the five games he's been back, the two-time MVP has looked like himself. In the Warriors' matchup with the Celtics on Thursday, he posted a stat line of 29 points, four rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.

Seeing that Curry is the foundational piece for Golden State, they must proceed with caution. Over-exerting their star guard fresh off his return from injury could cause a setback. If Golden State has to sideline him again, it could greatly hurt its chances of defending its championship.

How did the Golden State Warriors play without Steph Curry?

So far this season, Steph Curry is averaging 29.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. Replacing that is no easy task. In Curry's absence, the Golden State Warriors managed to hold their own. They went 6-5 in the 11 games he missed, including a five-game win streak. Two key factors in them staying competitive were guards Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole.

If the Warriors want to come away victorious against the Cavaliers, they will need to play at a high level. Cleveland currently sits tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference and is looking to climb the ranks.

The Cavaliers have an abundance of firepower in their backcourt with Mitchell and Darius Garland. Golden State is going to have a tough time keeping up with them without the services of Steph Curry.