Warriors remain hopeful despite ‘running out of games’ for Steph Curry’s return

SAN FRANCISCO – Stephen Curry’s return to the Warriors, if it happens at all this season, will come no sooner than April.The team on Friday issued an update that made it clear Curry’s eight-week absence could stretch to nine, further imperiling prospects for a Golden State season spiraling toward ending much more abrupt than projected.Eight games remain after Friday’s matchup against the Washington Wizards, and that number drops to seven after facing the Nuggets in Denver on Sunday. Once medical/training chief Rick Celebrini and his staff clears Curry to play, there won’t be much season remaining before the Warriors enter the NBA play-in tournament on April 14 or 15.“We’re not bringing him back for the play-in game,” coach Steve Kerr said two hours before tipoff against the Wizards. “He needs to play some games, and we need to, you know, we need to give him a runway if this is going to work, and we are running out of games. So that’s fair to say.“But he’s still working. Rick is working with him with the mindset that he will be back.”The update on Curry coincided with that of veteran big man Al Horford,...