Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is taking a cautious approach to his latest ankle injury as he doesn’t want to risk aggravating it at the most important time of the season.

“You can’t fast-forward or cheat the healing process,” Curry told reporters after Friday’s practice in Los Angeles. “There are some that are kinda on the fence with whether you can push through it and not make it worse, just deal with the pain.”

Curry overcame ankle issues early in his NBA career before his rise to superstardom. So he knows fully well how tricky this type of injury is especially for him who is in perpetual motion on the court.

“I’ve been through all types of injuries and this one was one where there was a certain time frame to let my ankle heal,” Curry continued. “And then have a little bit of work on the court to build back up. It’s tough to miss games, but you’ve gotta understand you can’t make things worse. Especially with what time of year we’re in right now.”

Curry has missed the Warriors’ last three games. But there is optimism from coach Steve Kerr that their leading scorer will play on Saturday, March 16, in a crucial match against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Curry has resumed on-court workouts on Tuesday, March 12, five days after spraining his right ankle late in their March 7 home loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Kerr recently revealed that Curry joined Santa Cruz Warriors’ practice on Wednesday, March 13, while they were in Dallas. Friday’s practice in Los Angeles is his first with the team since the injury.

The Warriors have gone 1-2 since Curry went down with the injury and 1-3 overall this season without him.

Steph Curry Plans to Play vs. Lakers

Kerr told reporters he expects Curry to return against the Lakers, per Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle.

“That’s the plan. … Nice to be back with the team. Good energy going,” Curry told reporters, per Gordon.

Curry averages 22.3 points, 7.2 assists and 4.9 rebounds in his career against the Lakers, per Statmuse.

Steve Kerr Believes Great Run Is on the Warriors’ Horizon

Despite their recent slide, Kerr remains optimistic about their playoff chances.

“The season it really is a marathon,” Kerr told reporters following their 109-99 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, March 12. “I still have no doubt that this team can get on a great run and make a good push.”

Their latest loss kept them glued on 10th place in the West, trailing the Lakers by one full game, setting the stage for a playoff-like atmosphere for Saturday’s match.

“I still like who our team is,” Kerr added. “We’re hoping to get Steph back for Saturday. I like the team a lot better now than I did a couple of months ago when we were really sorting through a lot of things. I think we have an identity, I think we know who we are, I think we’ll bounce back here, and I’m excited about the last part of the season.”