The Golden State Warriors return to action tonight after an eight-day break, but it’ll be without Stephen Curry, who continues to recover from a nagging knee injury. According to the latest update by ESPN’s Shams Charania, Curry could miss anywhere from days to weeks as he manages continued pain and swelling in his knee.
“I’m told an MRI in the last 24 hours showed no structural issue in his right knee,” said Charania on NBA Today. “But he is dealing with persistent swelling and pain in that knee. The team is describing it as runner’s knee. So, Stephen Curry works out individually as he did over the All-Star break and afterward, he deals with pain and swelling. So both the Warriors and Curry need all of that to subside before he can try to start to play again. It’s uncertain whether that will be days or weeks more away for Stephen Curry.”
Curry last played on January 30th, in a 131-124 loss to the Pistons. He played just 25 minutes, dropping 23 points, one rebound, two assists, and one block on 43.8% shooting (4-10 from three). He left the game after 25 minutes and hasn’t played since. While the lack of structural damage suggests a short-term recovery timeline, Curry continues to feel lingering discomfort.
The Warriors are blaming it on “runner’s knee,” also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome. It’s caused by overuse, with treatments typically involving a mix of rest, ice, compression, and elevation. It’s not usually a serious or long-lasting injury, but it’s not worth the risk for a guy like Steph, who continues to be the Warriors’ lifeline.
His absence tonight will mark his sixth straight, a season-high for the two-time MVP. Now, Curry may lose his eligibility for NBA awards despite playing elite basketball for months with averages of 27.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game on 46.8% shooting and 39.1% shooting from three. Having missed 16 games already, he can only miss two more before being disqualified from any regular-season accolades.
More importantly, Curry’s absence threatens to move the Warriors down in the crowded Western Conference. At 29-26 (eight in the West), they are already on thin ice with a thin margin for error. But now, they’ll need a borderline miracle to keep their position through the end of the season.
Their only hope is a speedy recovery for Curry, who can single-handedly raise the Warriors’ ceiling. That’s why his health and durability are so important for this team, and why they will not risk anything that might compromise his long-term availability.
