The Golden State Warriors have been clicking on all cylinders in the postseason despite the absence of point guard Stephen Curry. Fortunately, they may not have to proceed without him any longer with his probable return for Game 2 of their series with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Curry is finally ready to make his playoff debut after dealing with lingering ankle injuries. Although he has been out of commission for nearly two months, small forward Kevin Durant is expecting a stellar return:

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“When great players like that leave the game from an injury and come back, I expect him to be who he is. He was great, we're expecting the same thing,” Durant said. “I'm not saying it's guaranteed to happen, but he puts in the work and prepares himself right to be put in those positions. When he comes out and plays well, it's not going to surprise me at all.”

Durant's expectations should come as no surprise. Curry has been rehabbing for quite some time now and his delayed return was likely a precaution taken by Golden State to ensure his status throughout the playoffs. Regardless, Curry may be just a little bit rusty after not playing for such a long time.

Fortunately, he has the benefit of getting acquainted nice and easy with his star teammates. The Warriors breezed through the first round with ease and have come out even stronger in the conference semifinals against the Pelicans. Not surprisingly, Durant has shouldered most of the offensive load in Curry's absence with 27.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. However, if Golden State is to maintain its status as the odds-on favorite to repeat as champs they will undoubtedly need Curry to be at full strength.