Warriors Receive Massive Steph Curry News as Return Looms

Getty

Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors got a sight on Wednesday night that Chase Center has been missing for 60 days.

Stephen Curry was on the floor. Shooting threes. Moving around the arc. Looking like himself.

Before the Warriors’ home game against the San Antonio Spurs, Curry participated in pregame shooting drills on the Chase Center court for the first time since January 30. He has missed 26 consecutive games. Sunday against the Houston Rockets is the target for his return.

The Warriors are not there yet. But they are close.

Where Curry’s Return Stands

GettyStephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors.

Curry completed a five-on-five scrimmage on Tuesday, the biggest step in his recovery from the patella-femoral pain syndrome and bone bruising in his right knee. Wednesday’s pregame session was the next piece of the puzzle, a public signal that the process is moving in the right direction.

Steve Kerr was direct about what he saw.

“He looked good,” Kerr said. “Everybody said he looked good and felt good. He’ll have another scrimmage in the next couple of days. That’s the next step.”

Kerr also offered some context on why Curry chose to shoot on the floor before Wednesday’s game with the whole building watching.

“He said yesterday that he wanted to shoot on the court,” Kerr said. “I think it’s purposeful. I think he wants to feel the crowd and show the crowd that he wants to come back.”

The Warriors released a statement Wednesday before the Spurs game confirming Curry would sit out and miss Thursday’s back-to-back against the Cleveland Cavaliers as well. He will be re-evaluated over the weekend, with Sunday against Houston the earliest possible return date, contingent on how he responds to another scrimmage later this week.

What a Return Would Mean

The numbers tell the story of what Golden State has been missing. Curry was averaging 27.2 points and 4.8 assists while shooting 39.1 percent from three before going down. Since January 30, the Warriors have gone 9-16 and slid to the 10th seed in the Western Conference.

If Curry returns Sunday, Golden State would have five regular season games to build chemistry and establish a rotation before the play-in tournament begins. Kerr acknowledged the timeline is tight but framed it simply.

“Three or four games. That’s all we need,” Kerr said.

The play-in path as a 10th seed requires two wins. With Kristaps Porzingis, Draymond Green, and Al Horford potentially healthy alongside Curry, Kerr believes that is achievable.

“If we have Steph, if we’re healthy and we have Al and Kristaps and Draymond, then I know we can do that,” Kerr said.

What the Warriors’ Season Still Has to Offer

The bigger picture goes beyond the play-in. Curry turned 38 last month and is in the final stages of his career. This season started with genuine championship aspirations before Jimmy Butler‘s ACL tear and Moses Moody‘s patellar tendon injury reshaped everything.

Getting Curry back gives Golden State a chance to answer some important questions heading into the offseason. What does this team look like with Curry and Porzingis sharing the floor? Can the chemistry between Curry and Green be rekindled quickly? What does next season need to look like?

Those answers matter as much as any play-in result.

Meanwhile, Sunday’s game against Houston will be nationally televised. If Curry is cleared, Chase Center will be electric. The building was full on Wednesday night to see Victor Wembanyama. It will be a different kind of energy when No. 30 is back in uniform.

Final Word for the Warriors

Sixty days. Twenty-six games. A season that looked very different before January 30.

Curry was on the floor on Wednesday night, shooting threes at Chase Center with a return on the horizon. The Warriors are not wasting what time they have left with him.

Sunday cannot come soon enough.

Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins