The Golden State Warriors are still desperately waiting for their heartbeat to return.
Even in Monday night’s gritty 137-131 overtime road victory over the struggling Dallas Mavericks, the glaring absence of Stephen Curry was impossible to ignore. The win highlighted exactly why the 38-year-old superstar’s return is so critical if Golden State wants any realistic chance of salvaging this frustrating 2025-26 season.
Curry has been sidelined since late January with a stubborn right knee injury, limiting him to just 39 games this year. Because of the time missed, he is no longer eligible for any regular-season awards or honors — but that is the furthest thing from anyone’s mind in the Bay Area right now. Both Curry and the Warriors simply want their unanimous MVP back on the floor to help steady a ship that has been taking on water without him.
The Warriors are clinging to the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. Curry’s return would almost certainly create much-needed breathing room, but the bigger question remains: when exactly will he be cleared?
Golden State Releases Latest Stephen Curry Update
There was some disappointment late last week when Curry was expected to participate in live contact practice but suffered a minor setback, pushing those plans back. He has already been ruled out for the next couple of games and is likely to miss Wednesday’s home matchup against the Brooklyn Nets as well.
However, head coach Steve Kerr offered comments Tuesday that should give Warriors fans a cautious sense of optimism.
Kerr quickly shot down any speculation that the franchise is considering shutting Curry down for the remainder of the regular season. He added that the team will map out Curry’s next steps once their current homestand begins tomorrow night.
“We’re not chasing a play-in berth. We are squarely in the play-in no matter what we do,” Kerr told ESPN. “Bottom line, if Steph is healthy, he’s going to play because that’s what we’re here for. The chance to get into the playoffs is a big deal for us, big deal for Steph.”
That message should allow Warriors fans to breathe a little easier — Curry will be back this season as long as he can get fully healthy, and the organization is not waving the white flag.
It’s also important to remember that Curry is now 38 years old. Even for the greatest shooter the game has ever seen, recovery from a knee injury takes more time and patience at this stage of his career. The Warriors are handling this with the care it deserves, and that cautious approach is the right one.
Still, the fire inside Curry hasn’t dimmed. Kerr revealed that the 12-time All-Star is “dying” to get back on the court. For a player who has been through multiple deep playoff runs and lifted four championship banners, sitting on the sidelines while his team fights for survival has to be torturous.
What Is Golden State’s Ceiling If Curry Returns Healthy?
Let’s be realistic: the Warriors are not winning a title this season. They’re not reaching the Conference Finals, and probably not even the second round. But a healthy Curry down the stretch could serve as a vital building block heading into 2026-27.
Yes, the roster is aging. Jimmy Butler is past his prime and coming off major ACL surgery. The young supporting cast hasn’t produced any breakout stars. But Curry has proven time and again that when he’s healthy and playing a full season, he can keep even this Warriors team firmly in the playoff conversation.
For this season specifically, if Curry returns in the final 10 games of the regular season, Golden State’s chances of securing a play-in spot improve dramatically. No team in the West play-in field has a player capable of going nuclear and single-handedly willing his team to victory the way Curry has done throughout his career.
Monday night’s win in Dallas was just their seventh victory in the last 23 games without Curry. There is no real momentum right now, but the moment Curry is cleared and steps back on the floor, that could ignite one final push. The future Hall of Famer has rarely needed more than one or two games to regain his rhythm and mojo.
With roughly 10 games remaining, the clock is ticking. But if anyone can flip the switch and spark a late-season surge, it’s Stephen Curry.
Warriors fans, the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. The homestand starts tomorrow, and with it comes renewed hope that the Chef is almost ready to cook again.