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Steph Curry is not playing tonight for the Warriors, and his return timeline suddenly feels murkier after Bill Simmons openly questioned whether Golden State should even bring him back this season. The Warriors announced on March 2 that Curry was making progress from patella-femoral pain syndrome and bone bruising in his right knee, but that he would be re-evaluated in 10 days, which rules him out for Saturday, March 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
That is why Simmons’ latest podcast comment landed the way it did. In the newest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons asked Joe House whether Golden State should “punt” on the season and “just tell Steph Curry actually don’t come back.” He then added that when teams shift from a firm timetable to phrasing like “at least another 10 days,” he starts to “assume the guy’s not coming back.” That is opinion, not reporting, but it speaks to the uncertainty now hanging over Curry’s recovery and Golden State’s playoff push.
Around the 1:23:00 mark in the podcast, Simmons casted the doubt.
Key Points
- Steph Curry is out tonight against the Thunder.
- The Warriors said on March 2 he would be re-evaluated in 10 days for his right knee injury.
- Bill Simmons said he “just assume[s] the guy is not coming back” when NBA injury language turns vague.
Is Steph Curry Playing Tonight?
No, Curry is not playing tonight against Oklahoma City. Golden State’s official March 2 update said the star guard would be re-evaluated in 10 days after already missing 10 games, and NBA.com noted he last played on January 30. Saturday’s game arrives only five days after that announcement, so he was never a realistic candidate to suit up here.
The timing matters because the Warriors are still trying to stay alive in the West. Simmons’ podcast segment was recorded with Golden State sitting at 31-30 and in the No. 8 spot, while Saturday’s matchup with the Thunder is followed quickly by games at Utah on March 9 and home against Chicago on March 10. In other words, this is exactly the kind of stretch where every Curry update gets magnified.
Steph Curry Injury News
The most important injury detail is still the wording of the team’s update. Golden State said Curry is “making progress” from patella-femoral pain syndrome and bone bruising in his right knee, but stopped short of giving a target date beyond another re-evaluation in 10 days. That leaves the door open for a return later in March, but it does not promise one.
There is also a practical basketball angle here. Reuters reported the Warriors have gone 5-7 during Curry’s absence, showing how hard it has been for Golden State to stay afloat without him. That gives Simmons’ argument some logic: if the Warriors are merely fighting for play-in positioning, the franchise has to weigh short-term urgency against the risk of bringing back a 37-year-old superstar before he is fully right. That is analysis, but it is grounded in the standings pressure and the team’s record without him.
Warriors Schedule
Golden State’s next three games are at Oklahoma City on March 7, at Utah on March 9 and home against Chicago on March 10. Since Curry’s re-evaluation window began on March 2, the earliest meaningful checkpoint comes after this immediate run, which is why “Is Steph Curry playing tonight?” has such a simple answer right now: no. The bigger question is whether the Warriors can survive this stretch well enough to make a Curry comeback worthwhile.
That is where Simmons’ quote becomes useful as a news peg. He is not breaking news, but he is giving voice to a question a lot of observers will now ask until the next medical update arrives: if the Warriors slide further in the standings, does Golden State prioritize the play-in chase, or does it protect Curry and think bigger picture? For now, the only confirmed fact is that Curry remains out and the clock is ticking toward that next re-evaluation.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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