Stephen Curry made his long-awaited return from a 27-game absence due to a knee injury, but the Golden State Warriors fell just short in a heartbreaker, losing 117-116 to the Houston Rockets on Sunday at Chase Center.
Curry finished with 29 points in 26 minutes on a strict minutes restriction. He looked sharp and explosive, but missed a potential game-winning three with two seconds left. The Warriors rallied furiously in the fourth quarter, but Kevin Durant (31 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) and Alperen Şengün (24 points, including the go-ahead basket with 11 seconds remaining) proved too much for Golden State’s depleted frontcourt.
Here are three Curry-related takeaways from the game:
1. Curry’s Freshness Makes Warriors Favorites to Escape the Play-In
Curry may not be 100% healthy yet, but he has something most players don’t have at this stage of the season — he’s relatively fresh.
After missing more than two months, Curry looked sharp and explosive in his return. That changes the entire complexion of the play-in tournament for the Warriors.
Sitting at 36-42, Golden State is locked into the No. 10 seed and will have to win two road play-in games to advance. Before Sunday, that looked like a tall order. After watching Curry play, it now feels much more achievable.
The Warriors will still need Al Horford to return from his calf injury to stabilize the frontcourt, and they cannot afford any more key injuries. But with a fresh Curry leading the way, they have the star power to cover up roster flaws and get into the playoffs.
Among the other play-in teams, only the Clippers have a player capable of a Curry-like impact. Even with all their injuries, the Warriors arguably have a stronger supporting cast around Curry than the Clippers have around Kawhi Leonard.
Curry won’t blow teams out by himself, but a motivated, relatively fresh Curry gives Golden State a legitimate chance to beat anyone they face in the play-in.
2. Warriors Must Fix Final-Possession Execution
The Warriors have found themselves in this situation far too often in recent years — down by one or two with under 10 seconds left, Curry bringing the ball up the floor.
On Sunday, Curry was guarded by the elite defender Amen Thompson. Draymond Green set a screen to force a switch, putting Jabari Smith Jr. on Curry. But Thompson had no respect for Green from the perimeter and was ready to steal if Curry dribbled right. Smith took away any drive to the left.
The result was Curry forced into a ridiculously tough contested three that missed wide left.
Outside of Curry going one-on-one, the Warriors didn’t have an obviously great option. Kristaps Porzingis had already fouled out. Gary Payton II could have set the screen, but he isn’t a respected shooter either.
The Green screen to force a switch brought two defenders to Curry and gave the Warriors almost no realistic chance to score. The Warriors need to find better actions or trust Curry to create in isolation when the game is on the line.
3. Curry-Porzingis Connection Must Become a Priority
Because Curry came off the bench, he and Porzingis shared limited minutes together in this game.
That needs to change immediately.
It is essential that Curry and Porzingis develop chemistry before the play-in tournament. Porzingis had a poor outing (9 points in 23 minutes before fouling out), but the Warriors didn’t run many actions designed to get him going alongside Curry — no pick-and-pops, no specific sets to exploit mismatches.
Expect Steve Kerr to prioritize Curry-Porzingis minutes together on Tuesday against Sacramento. Their ability to work in tandem could be a major X-factor if the Warriors advance.
Final Word
Curry’s return was exactly what the Warriors needed — a jolt of energy, scoring, and hope. While the loss stings, his performance showed he can still be the difference-maker that elevates the entire roster.
The Warriors are still fighting an uphill battle with injuries (especially in the frontcourt), but a healthy Curry changes everything. If they can get Al Horford back and avoid further injuries, they have a real chance to make noise in the play-in and keep their season alive.
Warriors fans, what’s your reaction? How encouraged are you by Curry’s return performance? Do you believe the Warriors can escape the play-in with a healthy Curry, or is the frontcourt too thin? Let us know in the comments below.
The final four games of the regular season will be critical. With Curry back and the team fighting for momentum, every possession matters as Golden State prepares for the play-in gauntlet.