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WARRIORS DROP A BOMBSHELL! Official update on Stephen Curry’s injury and his expected return date – BUT FANS CERTAINLY WON’T BE HAPPY

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The Golden State Warriors received a mixed but ultimately cautious update on franchise cornerstone Stephen Curry‘s right knee injury, with no structural damage found but ongoing pain and swelling keeping the 37-year-old sidelined indefinitely.

ESPN insider Shams Charania broke the news on NBA Today (February 19, 2026) after Curry underwent an MRI in the last 24 hours: “I’m told an MRI in the last 24 hours on Stephen Curry showed no structural issue in his right knee. But he is dealing with persistent swelling and pain in that knee. The team is describing it as ‘Runner’s Knee’ as the injury.”

 

Charania added the key concern: “He deals with pain and swelling, and so both the Warriors and Curry need all of that to subside before he can try to start to play again, and it’s uncertain whether that will be days or weeks away.”

Anthony Slater of ESPN provided more context: the issue first surfaced after a January 24 workout in Minnesota (day the game vs. Timberwolves was postponed), and Curry played through it initially before it flared up again. “Another MRI came back clean, ruling out anything structural, but Curry’s been dealing with this pain and swelling for nearly a month.”

Curry missed the All-Star Game and has sat out the last five games (16 total missed this season). With no firm timeline, he risks falling short of the NBA’s 65-game threshold required for major end-of-season awards (All-NBA, MVP consideration), where he’s traditionally a lock.

Porzingis Cleared for Warriors Debut vs. Celtics Thursday

 

While Curry remains out, the Warriors get a major boost Thursday night (February 20, 2026) when trade-deadline acquisition Kristaps Porzingis makes his Golden State debut against his former team, the Boston Celtics.

Porzingis, limited to just 17 games with Atlanta this season due to lingering Achilles tendinitis, has been practicing fully and told reporters Tuesday: “Feeling good. Ready to go.” The team listed him as questionable but his comments made it clear he expects to play.

Head coach Steve Kerr previewed the fit: “You don’t have to change a whole lot. The biggest difference is that he provides his post-ups. He’s a pretty good post-up player, especially against switches. You throw him the ball at the foul line, the elbows, even the low block, he can score in those spots.”

The Warriors (29-26) desperately need Porzingis’ rim protection, spacing (career 36-38% from three), and post scoring to offset Curry’s absence and climb the Western Conference standings in the final third of the season.

Impact on Warriors’ Season and Playoff Push

 

Curry’s absence clouds what was expected to be a celebratory night for Porzingis’ debut. Golden State has leaned heavily on depth (Podziemski, Melton, Payton II) but lacks Curry’s gravity and clutch scoring. A prolonged absence could jeopardize their play-in/playoff hopes in a loaded West.

For now, the team focuses on managing swelling/pain conservatively — rest, treatment, and gradual ramp-up once symptoms subside.

Warriors fans: Relief on the clean MRI, but frustration at the uncertain timeline. How long do you think Curry misses? Excited for Porzingis vs. his old Celtics squad Thursday? Drop your predictions below and share if you’re locked in for the post-All-Star push!