The Golden State Warriors are staring down a tough weekend stretch - and they might have to do it without their biggest star.
Stephen Curry is officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a game that was originally set for Saturday but got pushed back a day. That change means the Warriors and Timberwolves will now play a back-to-back on Sunday and Monday - a scheduling twist that’s thrown Golden State’s rotation into flux and put a spotlight on how they manage their veterans.
Curry, along with Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton, was expected to suit up for both games. But with two games in two nights against a surging Timberwolves squad sitting just ahead of the Warriors in the Western Conference standings, Golden State is being forced to think long-term. That includes the possibility of giving Curry a night off to preserve his legs for what’s shaping up to be a critical stretch of the season.
And it’s not just about rest - it’s about survival.
With Jimmy Butler now out for the season following a devastating injury earlier in the week, Curry’s workload has ballooned. The Warriors are leaning on the two-time MVP more than ever, and it showed in Thursday’s loss to the Mavericks.
Curry poured in 38 points, drilling 8-of-15 from deep, but it wasn’t enough. The rest of the starting lineup combined for just 30 points, and Golden State fell 123-115.
That’s the new reality: Curry has to carry the load, and the margin for error is razor-thin.
Even with the heavy lifting, Curry continues to produce at an elite level. He was named an All-Star starter earlier this week, a nod to a season where he’s averaging 27.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game on 47% shooting from the field and nearly 40% from beyond the arc. But with his 38-year-old legs now tasked with even more responsibility, the Warriors are walking a tightrope between pushing for wins and protecting their star.
The injury bug hasn’t stopped at Curry, either.
Jonathan Kuminga, who had just started to carve out a bigger role in the wake of Butler’s absence, is now sidelined again. He went down with a left ankle and knee injury on a drive to the rim against Dallas and won’t be available despite the extra day of rest from the postponement. That’s a tough blow for both the team and the 23-year-old forward, who had been pushing for a trade ahead of the February 5 deadline.
Kuminga had just started to flash the potential that made him the seventh overall pick. He dropped 20 points in 21 minutes against the Raptors earlier in the week, then followed it up with 10 points in under 10 minutes before the injury on Thursday. After sitting out 16 straight games, he was finally making noise again - and now, he’s back on the shelf.
Meanwhile, Minnesota comes into the weekend with far fewer questions. The Timberwolves will be without 25-year-old Terrence Shannon Jr., but otherwise, they’re healthy and rolling. They were already favored heading into the back-to-back, but with Curry’s status in doubt and Kuminga out, the odds have tilted even further in their favor.
For Golden State, this isn’t just about two games in January. It’s about how they navigate the next few weeks - and possibly the rest of the season - with a thin roster, an aging core, and a superstar who can still dominate but needs help. Whether that help comes from within or via the trade deadline remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear: the Warriors can’t afford many more setbacks. Not in a Western Conference this crowded. Not with Curry carrying this much weight.