#al-horford

#al-horford

Horford has only played in 14 games thus far, but his teammates know how potent he can be even in limited minutes. He definitely spreads the floor, challenges shots at the rim, and is a high-IQ-type player, Jimmy Butler said. Then he's just really, really fun to play with. As long as you're out there having fun, being joyful, ball's moving, you're guarding, you're competing, that's who he is, that's who he's always been.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Golden State Warriors are expecting Stephen Curry to return from his thigh contusion Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. "It's looking good," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. Curry skipped the Warriors' recent three-game road trip, opting to remain back in San Francisco for rest and treatment with an aim to get full clearance for Wednesday night's practice.

And when Curry played a two-man game with Horford, the Blazers had no answers for the two-time MVP. Well, except for fouling on plays that, a year ago, may have gone uncalled. Thanks to the new 'Hi-Five' rule, which penalizes defenders for swiping at hands following through, and re-emphasizes contact to shooters' legs, Curry shot nine free throws in the first half, all makes, and ended up with 13 attempts from the foul line overall.

I was just letting the game come to me, Kuminga said. I feel like if one of them, or Steph (Curry), was open, for me it was just about finding the open person. I felt good doing it, because I was letting the game come to me.

Great spacing is more than just having all five players dotted a couple feet outside the 3-point line, though. Sometimes it means there's a big in the dunker spot, and sometimes it means you have a guy in the corner and the other three guys are all around the three-point line and nobody is in the paint, Kerr said after Tuesday's practice. There's all these things that are possibilities, and we have to adjust and react to what the circumstances are.

As you look at the rest of the team and what we're trying to do, there is no question our priorities would be to bring Al and Luke back. Those guys are huge parts of this organization. They're going to have, I'm sure, plenty of options all over the place, and that's well-deserved, but I think that would be a priority. At the same time, I don't want to put pressure on them.