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SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry is expected to return from a sprained ankle on Saturday night against the Lakers, coach Steve Kerr said Friday. Curry sprained his ankle on an awkward landing during the team’s loss to the Chicago Bulls last Thursday and has not played in any of the Warriors’ three games since.

Curry practiced with the team in Los Angeles on Friday ahead of the Warriors’ Saturday night showdown.

Curry appeared to roll his right ankle on a move to the basket late in the fourth quarter last week. He limped around the court afterward in an attempt to walk it off, but eventually exited the game and went straight to the locker room with just under four minutes left in the game.

Curry’s absence was felt down the stretch against Chicago, as rookie Brandin Podziemski failed to convert a point-blank layup attempt that would have tied the game with seven seconds left. The final game-winning attempt from half court was missed by Lester Quinones, who was inserted in Curry’s place.

The Warriors had been one of the hottest teams in basketball before Curry’s injury, going 14-4 in 18 games from Jan. 30-March 1. During that stretch, they’ve had the fourth-best net rating in the NBA and the fifth-best defense, with Curry averaging 26 points, five assists and five rebounds on 45/41/89 shooting splits. Counting the loss against the Bulls, the Warriors have gone 1-3 since his injury.

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