Stephen Curry Day-to-Day with Knee Injury; Kuminga, Seth Curry Also Sidelined
The Warriors are navigating a tricky stretch of the season without their franchise cornerstone, as Stephen Curry is once again dealing with right knee trouble. The 37-year-old guard aggravated an existing injury during Friday’s loss to the Pistons and was forced to exit the game early.
An MRI performed on Saturday offered some relief - no structural damage - but the diagnosis isn’t entirely comforting either. Curry is dealing with patellofemoral pain syndrome, commonly known as runner’s knee. It’s a condition that can linger if not managed carefully, especially for a player who puts as much torque on his lower body as Curry does with his constant off-ball movement and explosive shooting mechanics.
The Warriors have listed him as day-to-day, and he’s already been ruled out for Tuesday’s matchup against the 76ers. According to reports, Curry is undergoing consistent treatment on the knee, but there’s no firm timetable for his return just yet.
Head coach Steve Kerr emphasized that the decision will ultimately rest with the team’s director of sports medicine, Rick Celebrini, and Curry himself. “As soon as Rick tells me he can play, obviously he’ll play,” Kerr said Monday.
“But they’re working together every day. I don’t have an answer for you, though.”
This is uncharted territory for the Warriors this season. Curry has been the engine of the offense, even as the team has struggled to find consistency around him. With him sidelined, Golden State will need to lean more heavily on its younger core - a group that’s also dealing with injury setbacks of its own.
Jonathan Kuminga, who had been a bright spot prior to his injury, will miss his fifth straight game Tuesday due to a bone bruise in his left knee. The athletic forward had begun to carve out a bigger role before the injury and his absence has left a noticeable gap in the Warriors’ frontcourt rotation.
Meanwhile, Seth Curry is also working his way back from sciatic nerve irritation. The team provided an update over the weekend, noting that he’s resumed on-court workouts but will remain out for at least two more weeks. He’ll be reevaluated at that point.
The Warriors are clearly in a holding pattern, hoping to get healthy as the season grinds on. With Curry’s status still uncertain and multiple rotation players on the mend, Golden State is walking a fine line between staying competitive and not rushing back key contributors. How they manage this stretch could have major implications for their playoff hopes - and for Curry’s long-term durability down the stretch.