Stephen Curry’s night came to a premature end Friday against the Detroit Pistons, and it’s not the kind of headline the Golden State Warriors-or their fans-wanted to see.
Midway through the third quarter, Curry began experiencing discomfort in his right knee. After a quick evaluation on the bench, the training staff made the call: he was done for the night.
The official word from the team? Right knee soreness.
No return.
Before the injury, Curry was doing what he does best-keeping the Warriors afloat with his shot-making and floor leadership. In just 25 minutes, he poured in 23 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-10 from deep. He was perfect from the line, going 5-for-5, and added two assists, a rebound, and even a block for good measure.
This season, Curry has been a steadying force for a Warriors squad still searching for consistency. While the team’s playoff hopes remain alive, they’ve leaned heavily on their two-time MVP to provide scoring bursts and late-game heroics. So any potential time without him-even short-term-raises real questions about how Golden State can stay in the mix in a crowded Western Conference.
Of course, we’ll have to wait for further evaluation to know the severity of the issue. But any time Curry exits a game and doesn’t return, it’s going to make waves. He’s the engine, the heartbeat, and the gravitational pull that makes everything else in the Warriors’ offense go.
We’ve seen this team ride through adversity before, but if Curry’s knee becomes a lingering concern, Golden State may be facing another uphill battle in a season already full of challenges.