SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors will be without their heartbeat Stephen Curry when they return from the All-Star break on Thursday night against the Boston Celtics, with the length of his right knee absence still uncertain.
In brighter news for the Dubs, high-profile trade-deadline acquisition Kristaps Porzingis is expected to make his Warriors debut against his former team. Listed as questionable, Porzingis told reporters Wednesday he’s “ready to go” after a full scrimmage and ramp-up over the break.
Coach Steve Kerr had been optimistic pre-break that the persistent swelling and “runner’s knee” soreness would subside enough for Curry to play Thursday. But Curry returned to the facility Wednesday night, tested the knee in a live scrimmage setting, and informed the training staff it wasn’t quite there yet.
“Just wasn’t where he needed to be,” Kerr said. “It’s unfortunate. We’ll have an update tomorrow after he goes through his time with the training staff.”
Kerr left open the possibility of another MRI after consulting with lead medical decision-maker Rick Celebrini (currently in Milan watching son Macklin play Olympic hockey for Team Canada). Curry has missed the last five games before the break — and the All-Star Game itself — after the team shut him down to manage inflammation.
“We’ve got to be certain,” Kerr stressed. “He’s got to be certain… It is a little nebulous, but that’s the nature of the injury.”
Curry himself told ESPN on February 5 the knee was “trending in the right direction” but required caution: “You have to try to get rid of all the inflammation and pain… If I come back too early, it could flare up.”
Porzingis Ready for Debut: “Weird” Facing Boston
Porzingis, acquired from Atlanta at the deadline in a deal sending Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield east, has been limited to just 17 games this season due to illness and Achilles tendinitis. He spent the break working with Warriors staff and fully participated in Wednesday’s scrimmage.
Kerr outlined a conservative plan: short bursts, limited minutes early on, likely coming off the bench alongside new teammate (and former Boston running mate) Al Horford.
“Weird,” Porzingis said of facing the Celtics. “Who would believe this? But this is how it works. Obviously we expected Boston to have some changes with the money stuff, but it’s going to be weird.”
The big man praised the system’s simplicity and enjoyed sharing the floor with Draymond Green in scrimmage: “I love Draymond, man. I can see how important he is to this group.”
Over the past two days, the Warriors drilled spacing concepts around Porzingis’ post-ups — a shift from their Butler-era adjustments — to unlock his scoring gravity from the elbows, low blocks, and face-up spots.
Warriors’ Standing and Stakes
At 29-26, Golden State sits eighth in the Western Conference — a precarious playoff spot in a loaded West. Missing Curry for Thursday’s marquee matchup against a surging Celtics squad (35-16, second in East) is a blow, but Porzingis’ debut offers a fresh spark.
If Curry needs more time, the Dubs will lean on Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and others in the backcourt while hoping Porzingis provides instant rim protection, spacing, and mismatch nightmares.
Warriors fans: Gut punch with Curry out, but Porzingis debut vs. old team could be electric. How many minutes do you think KP plays? Will the spacing tweaks pay off immediately? Drop your thoughts below and share if you’re locked in for Thursday’s big game!