Golden State Warriors fans can finally exhale: Stephen Curry is officially available for Sunday’s showdown against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After a scare that had the superstar listed as questionable due to knee soreness felt during Friday’s preparations, Curry powered through a full pregame workout in Minneapolis and has been cleared to play.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater broke the news on X: “Steph Curry is available today in Minnesota. Currently wrapping up a full pregame workout. Had been listed as questionable after feeling something in his knee yesterday.”
The timing couldn’t be better for a Warriors team reeling from injuries. Curry’s return provides a massive boost ahead of a meaningful rematch with the Timberwolves — the same team that eliminated Golden State in last season’s Western Conference semifinals after Curry missed most of the series with a hamstring injury.
But the good news is tempered by another setback. Forward Jonathan Kuminga will miss additional time after an MRI revealed a bone bruise in his knee, the result of a hyperextension and ankle roll suffered Thursday night in a 123–115 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Warriors confirmed Friday that there is no structural damage, but the bone bruise will sideline the 22-year-old for the foreseeable future. “His progress will be monitored and a re-evaluation date will be determined in the coming days,” the team said in a statement.
Kuminga’s injury occurred early in the second quarter against Dallas when he landed awkwardly on a drive to the basket. He briefly tried to stay in the game before heading to the locker room and was ruled out for the second half.
The blow is especially painful given the context. Just days earlier, the Warriors lost Jimmy Butler III to a season-ending ACL tear, forcing head coach Steve Kerr to reinsert Kuminga into the rotation after a prolonged stretch of 16 consecutive DNPs. Kuminga responded immediately, scoring 20 points in 21 minutes against Toronto and adding 10 quick points against Dallas before disaster struck.
Now, just as he was regaining momentum and filling a critical scoring void, Kuminga is sidelined again.
Curry’s availability takes on extra weight in this rematch. Last postseason, Golden State stole Game 1 in Minnesota with Curry in the lineup, only to drop the next four once he went down. Kuminga carried much of the offensive load in Curry’s absence, averaging 20.8 points while battling Anthony Edwards, but the Warriors simply couldn’t generate enough gravity without their generational shooter.
An extra day of rest also helped Curry’s cause. The game, originally scheduled for Saturday, was postponed to Sunday due to civil unrest in the area, giving the 37-year-old additional recovery time.
The benefits extend beyond Sunday’s result. By playing, Curry avoids what would have been his 11th missed game of the season — keeping him comfortably above the league’s 65-game threshold for All-NBA eligibility. He enters the contest still producing at an elite level: 27.4 points, 4.9 assists, and an NBA-best 4.6 made threes per game.
For a Warriors roster navigating a wave of injuries and uncertainty, Curry’s presence offers a rare constant — a reminder that, when healthy, the two-time MVP can still swing games and seasons on his own.