The Golden State Warriors lost 124–118 to the Sacramento Kings on Friday, but the real story was Stephen Curry’s climb up the record books.
During the second half, Curry shot a three-pointer from the top of the key to pass Tim Duncan’s 26,496 career points, locking in his place at No. 19 on the NBA‘s all-time regular-season scoring list with 26,497 points.
It was a bittersweet backdrop for his record. Curry finished the game with just 11 points on 3-of-8 from the field. It was his third game back after missing 27 games with a right knee injury. And less than three minutes into the contest, things got worse before they got better.
King’s guard Devin Carter stole the ball from Curry at midcourt, and the two appeared to bang knees, with Curry also twisting his ankle on the play. He limped off the court as a timeout was called and was immediately evaluated by head coach Steve Kerr and medical director Rick Celebrini.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30)David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Although he returned to the game, reporters noted he visibly lacked his usual burst and had no lift on his shots during the first half.
“I’ve been dealing with ankles forever,” he said, adding that his knee felt better than the previous game and he was not concerned about the twist.
His positive injury update made it easier to celebrate his scoring milestone. So, following the game, the NBA’s official social media account congratulated the four-time champion on moving up the all-time list.
Kerr confirmed Curry should play Sunday against the Clippers. His goal is to get the starters some court time together before the play-in tournament begins. And the team has limited Curry to about 26 minutes per game since his return to avoid further injury.
As the Warriors went 13–26 without Curry this year, their seriousness about him makes sense from every angle. Now the 10th seed at 37–44, they will play an elimination game on the road against the No. 9 seed on Wednesday.
Curry’s new spot on the all-time scoring list proves his value, but the Warriors’ season now depends on whether his ankle holds up. For now, the Warriors are set to face the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday with the tipoff scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET. Whether Curry plays or gets some rest in that game remains to be seen.
Related: Stephen Curry Sends Strong Charles Bassey Message After Kings Game
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.