Marc Stein says the Warriors are a confident team without Steph Curry and are hopeful Curry will be able to return at some point during their series against the Blazers. (1:24)

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry said Friday that he is "feeling better" since spraining his MCL and is trying to get back on the court for the defending NBA champions before his target return date of May 9.

Curry suffered the injury Sunday in Game 4 of the Warriors' first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets. He was given a two-week timetable to return after an MRI revealed a Grade 1 sprain.

"Feeling better but just got a ways to go," Curry said Friday. "I always have an optimistic view, no matter what it is. I hope to get back sooner. I haven't talked to the doctors, athletic training staff, all the experts. That two-week timeline was, as Bob (Myers, GM) says, an educated guess."

The Warriors closed out the series against the Rockets on Thursday in Game 5 and will next play the Portland Trail Blazers, who eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night with a 106-103 win in Game 6.

"It's nice to have a break," Curry said. "The boys took care of business, so we can get a little bit of built-in rest."

Curry said he was fortunate not to injure the knee any worse than he did in his "unfortunate slip" on a wet spot on the floor just before halftime in Sunday's game.

"That could have been 10 times worse," Curry told reporters. "It was just simply a wet spot that put me in a very vulnerable position."

The reigning MVP said he still has pain and has yet to resume on-court activities, but he is working hard -- up to three times a day -- on his rehab.

"It's a lot of treatment," Curry said. "Trying to get a full range of motion back. Doing some things where I can keep my cardio up and my strength in the weight room. Just started riding the bike a little bit yesterday. All the things that can keep your body active while they're still healing."

Curry said he didn't re-injure his ankle -- which he sprained in Game 1 of the series against the Rockets -- but he'll continue to get treatment on that as well.

The injuries didn't stop him from joining in the celebration after the Warriors closed out the Rockets, with Curry going as far as lifting up Warriors backup point guard Ian Clark.

"That was kind of an electric kind of moment," Curry said. "That's why I was out there because I could move around good enough to get up and down off the bench and whatnot. ... We were having fun, and I was reminded quickly after I picked him up that that was not a good idea."