The Golden State Warriors’ frustrations with one of the NBA’s oldest rosters have hit a new low, as superstar point guard Stephen Curry faces a devastating setback in his recovery from an already nagging knee injury.
According to ESPN’s Marc J. Spears, speaking on the “Willard & Dibs” show on 95.7 The Game on Thursday, February 26, Curry experienced a significant regression during All-Star Weekend. “Well, I heard around All-Star Weekend he had a setback. He was trying to work out, he was trying to get back, and it pushed him back,” Spears revealed. “I’m not sure when he’ll be back, but I do know that he wants to come back.”
Spears went on to describe the Warriors’ precarious position in the standings: “This team is kind of a no man’s land, right? They’re probably too bad for a playoff lock, top-six spot, right? But they’re too good to not be in the play-in. So Steph expects to play in the play-in. He wants to be in the play-in. He wants the chance to be in the playoffs.”
Curry has been sidelined throughout February due to patella-femoral pain syndrome, commonly referred to as “runner’s knee.” Following an MRI on February 19, the Warriors issued a statement: “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 MRI confirmed the injury and showed no structural damage. He will be re-evaluated in 10 days.”
Originally, the earliest possible return for Curry could have been March 2 against the Los Angeles Clippers in San Francisco, assuming a positive re-evaluation and quick ramp-up to full activities—though that seemed optimistic even then. Now, with this reported setback, his absence could stretch much further, casting a shadow over the team’s postseason aspirations.
Currently sitting at 31-28, the Warriors hold the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. As Spears noted, they’re comfortably ahead—nine games up on the 11th-place Memphis Grizzlies, virtually guaranteeing a spot in the play-in tournament. However, they’re also trailing the Los Angeles Lakers by four games for the No. 6 seed, which offers a direct path to the playoffs without the high-stakes play-in drama.
With 23 games remaining in the regular season, there’s no incentive to rush Curry back, especially given the uphill battle to crack the top six—even with him healthy. This challenge is compounded by other league developments, such as Jimmy Butler’s season-ending torn ACL. Still, Golden State’s substantial cushion over the teams below them ensures they’ll stay in contention for the play-in, but without their star, the road ahead looks increasingly treacherous.