Stephen Curry Day-to-Day with Knee Soreness as Warriors Monitor Workload Ahead of All-Star Break
The Golden State Warriors are keeping a close eye on Stephen Curry’s right knee after the star guard underwent an MRI that revealed patellofemoral syndrome - commonly referred to as runner’s knee. The team announced Saturday that the injury isn’t considered serious, but Curry remains day-to-day with his status for Tuesday’s matchup against the 76ers still up in the air.
Curry exited Friday’s loss to the Pistons late in the third quarter and didn’t return, continuing to deal with lingering discomfort that first flared up prior to last Sunday’s win over the Timberwolves. He played through it that night but ended up sitting out Monday’s rematch against Minnesota due to soreness. Despite the pain, he still put up 23 points in 25 minutes against Detroit before being pulled.
Now, the Warriors are facing a familiar balancing act: managing Curry’s health while trying to stay competitive in a tight Western Conference race. Head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged as much following Saturday’s film session, saying the team is in ongoing discussions with the training staff to determine how best to handle Curry’s workload in the second half of the season.
“You have to do both,” Kerr said. “That’s the job, right?
That’s our job as a staff, as a team - mix and match lineups. You have to include the performance staff in all these conversations.”
Kerr noted that he spoke directly with Warriors director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini about Curry’s knee and the plan moving forward. With the All-Star break approaching, the team is weighing whether Curry can continue to handle his usual minutes or if short-term rest might be the smarter play.
Curry has been his usual electric self this season, averaging 27.3 points per game and continuing to serve as the engine of Golden State’s offense. But with the playoffs still months away, the Warriors are clearly prioritizing the long game - making sure their franchise cornerstone is healthy when it matters most.
Meanwhile, forward Jonathan Kuminga is trending in the right direction as he works his way back from a bone bruise in his knee. Kuminga hasn’t played since suffering the injury during a Jan. 22 loss to the Mavericks, but Kerr said the young forward is improving and was able to get in a workout ahead of Saturday’s practice.
“I asked him (Friday) night after the game, he said he was feeling better,” Kerr said. “He’s improving.
He’s getting closer to being able to play. I don’t know what his status will be for Tuesday.”
Kuminga’s return would give the Warriors a much-needed boost in the frontcourt, especially with the Feb. 5 trade deadline looming and his name having surfaced in recent trade chatter.
The team also provided an update on Seth Curry, who has been sidelined since Dec. 4 with a sciatica issue. The Warriors said Seth is making “good progress” in his rehab, has begun on-court work, and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Tuesday’s game against Philadelphia is the Warriors’ final contest before the trade deadline, and while the focus remains on player health, the front office will be keeping a close eye on how this roster shapes up - both in the short term and beyond.
For now, all eyes are on Steph. As always, the Warriors will go as far as he can take them - but making sure he’s physically ready to lead that charge is the priority.