In a thrilling overtime showdown, the Golden State Warriors edged out the Houston Rockets 115-113 on Thursday, marking their latest gritty victory without star guard Stephen Curry, who missed his 12th straight game due to a persistent knee injury. But amid the uncertainty surrounding his return, Warriors fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief: Curry has delivered a promising update, vowing to make his comeback before the season wraps up.
According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Curry reached out to teammate Draymond Green via text right after the hard-fought win in Houston. The message was filled with enthusiasm—”A bunch of exclamation marks. Y’all did that”—celebrating the team’s resilience. More importantly, Curry assured Green of his imminent return, texting: “Keep going. I know it’s tough, but promise you, I’m coming back.”
Curry, sidelined with right patellofemoral pain syndrome—commonly known as “runner’s knee”—has been urging his teammates to stay the course while he works through his recovery. Green shared details of their recent conversations, highlighting Curry’s determination and the boost it provides to the locker room.
“My confidence level is high, ultimately, because I know [Curry]’s going to put in all the work and do everything he can to get back,” Green said. “If his body allows him to get back, I know he will come back. He’s not wanting to just shut it down. For us, just got to stay afloat. Nobody’s expecting us to go on a 10-game win streak, but you just got to stay afloat. Tonight’s a big step towards that.”
The Warriors last week announced that Curry would be re-evaluated in 10 days, potentially paving the way for a return in mid-to-late March. With about 20 games left in the regular season, this timeline aligns with Curry’s personal pledge, offering hope that the two-time MVP could rejoin the lineup for a late-season push.
Despite the optimism, some analysts have suggested the Warriors consider shutting down Curry for the year, given the team’s non-contender status and the need to evaluate the roster for future moves. ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins echoed this sentiment last month, advising: “Shut Steph down, let those guys play it out. See what guys fit. Right now I would let the rest of the Warriors team outside of Steph play this season out and audition. See if they want to be here.”
Perkins emphasized the importance of the upcoming offseason for general manager Mike Dunleavy, urging him to acquire pieces that could give Curry a real shot at another NBA title next year.
Adding to the Warriors’ challenges, they’ve been without Jimmy Butler for the remainder of the season due to an ACL injury, and Kristaps Porzingis—acquired in the Jonathan Kuminga trade—has only suited up once amid an illness. However, there’s a silver lining on that front: Head coach Steve Kerr revealed Thursday that Porzingis is traveling with the team on their current three-game road trip, which continues in Oklahoma City and Utah.
“No timeline, but he is on the trip, and he is going to get a workout today, and we’ll just take it day by day from there,” Kerr said.
For now, Curry’s heartfelt promise stands as a beacon of hope for the Warriors and their fans. As the team battles to stay competitive, the prospect of their franchise cornerstone returning could reignite their season just in time. Warriors Nation, hold on—Chef Curry might be back in the kitchen sooner than expected.