Steph Curry has been grinding behind the scenes to return to full strength, but the Golden State Warriors superstar remains sidelined with a lingering right knee injury. The 38-year-old point guard has not played since January 30 due to patellofemoral pain syndrome and bone bruising, and his prolonged absence has clearly impacted the team.
Without Curry, the Warriors currently sit at 35-38, holding the 10th spot in the Western Conference and locked into the final play-in position. They trail the ninth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers by 1.5 games with only a handful of regular-season contests remaining. If the Play-In Tournament began today, Golden State would need to win two straight games to clinch the No. 8 seed and advance to the playoffs.
The latest update on Curry’s recovery, delivered by the Warriors on Friday, has raised serious questions about his availability for the remainder of the season. The team announced that the veteran guard will miss at least two more games, with another re-evaluation scheduled in one week. While Curry continues to make progress through intensified individual on-court workouts, he has not yet been cleared for full live-action team practices or scrimmages—a critical step before any return to game action.
Head coach Steve Kerr has been unwavering in his stance: Curry’s long-term health takes absolute priority over the team’s playoff push.
“The whole idea is if he’s healthy, he’s going to play,” Kerr emphasized. “If he’s not healthy, or if there’s any risk at all, he’s not going to play. That’s just how he’s built. It’s how we’re built.”
Kerr has also outlined a clear ramp-up plan for the four-time champion, stressing that the Warriors will not rush Curry back solely for a potential play-in appearance.
“We’re not bringing him back (only) for the play-in game,” Kerr stated earlier this week. “He’d need to play some games. We need to give him a runway if this is going to work. And we are running out of games.”
With Curry now projected to miss at least two additional contests, the 38-year-old would have a maximum of roughly seven regular-season games left to build that necessary ramp-up. Given the tight timeline and Kerr’s repeated comments about requiring meaningful game action before the postseason, the Warriors face a potentially season-ending dilemma.
If there isn’t sufficient time for Curry to return safely and contribute effectively, the organization appears prepared to shut him down for the year to protect his future—especially as the team battles for positioning while already dealing with other injuries.
As Kerr has made abundantly clear, the franchise is not willing to take any chances with their franchise cornerstone. The clock is ticking, and Friday’s update has only heightened the urgency around this high-stakes decision for Golden State’s playoff hopes and Curry’s long-term well-being.