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Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors walks the floor during first half of their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on December 28, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Golden State Warriors acknowledged Thursday that Stephen Curry’s knee injury is more complicated — and more consequential — than initially believed, even as imaging ruled out catastrophic damage.
In a statement released by the team, the Warriors confirmed Curry is dealing with patella-femoral pain syndrome and a bone bruise in his right knee, clarifying both the diagnosis and the expected timeline.
“Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who has missed the last five games due to patella-femoral pain syndrome/bone bruising in his right knee, underwent an MRI Wednesday night,” the team said. “The MRI confirmed the injury and showed no structural damage. He will be re-evaluated in 10 days.”
Clean MRI, But Curry Effectively Sidelined
The MRI results aligned with earlier reporting from ESPN’s Shams Charania, who noted that Curry avoided ligament or cartilage damage but continued to battle swelling and pain commonly referred to as “runner’s knee.”
“I’m told an MRI in the last 24 hours on Stephen Curry showed no structural issue in his right knee,” Charania said on NBA Today. “But he is dealing with persistent swelling and pain in that knee.”
While the Warriors stopped short of formally ruling Curry out game by game, the 10-day re-evaluation window effectively sidelines him for Golden State’s next four games. Thursday’s matchup against the Boston Celtics marked Curry’s 16th missed game of the season, and the upcoming stretch will push that total to at least 20 before any return is reconsidered.
All-NBA Eligibility Effectively Gone
The extended timeline carries major individual consequences.
Under NBA rules, players must appear in at least 65 games to qualify for All-NBA honors. Curry can now miss only one more game for the remainder of the season and remain eligible — a threshold he will fall well short of during the re-evaluation window.
Even with a clean MRI, the injury has effectively removed Curry from postseason award consideration, shifting the focus entirely to availability and long-term health.
A Lingering Issue, Not a New One
ESPN Warriors insider Anthony Slater described the situation as a familiar “good news, bad news” scenario.
“There’s no underlying structural issue that is of graver concern,” Slater said. “But this is something he’s been dealing with for over a month now.”
According to Slater, the knee irritation first surfaced during a workout in Minnesota on the day Golden State’s game against the Timberwolves was postponed. Curry attempted to play through it before the symptoms resurfaced.
“He played through it a little bit,” Slater said. “And then it started to bother him again.”
Curry Urges Patience
After Golden State’s 101–97 comeback win in Phoenix just before the All-Star break, Curry acknowledged that returning too quickly could worsen the problem.
“It’s different than last year, but something that will heal,” Curry said.
“If I come back too early, it could flare up,” he added. “It’s something we still have to monitor and injury-manage.”
Curry attended All-Star Weekend as a spectator and underwent extensive treatment during the break. According to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson, Curry felt he “wasn’t in the right place” upon returning home, prompting the additional MRI.
Kerr Calls Injury ‘Nebulous’
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the injury, describing it as difficult to pin down.
“That’s the nature of the injury,” Kerr said. “It’s a little nebulous.”
Kerr emphasized that the team’s priority remains Curry’s long-term health.
“We’re going to keep plugging away with it,” Kerr said. “Steph will take the right steps. Our training staff will continue to work with him, and now we’ll see where it goes.”
Playoff Stakes Continue to Rise
The timing could hardly be worse for a Warriors team navigating a crowded Western Conference playoff race. While the clean MRI eliminated fears of a season-ending injury, the re-evaluation timeline underscores a harsher reality: availability — not severity — now defines Golden State’s outlook.
For the Warriors, patience may be medically necessary. Whether the standings allow for it remains the looming question.
Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
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