SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry made his highly anticipated return to the court Sunday evening against Houston, playing approximately 25 minutes after being sidelined for over two months due to a right knee injury.
Head coach Steve Kerr indicated prior to the matchup that Curry’s participation in upcoming games remains uncertain, considering the Warriors face five games within an eight-day span featuring back-to-back contests. The team doesn’t anticipate Curry will participate in consecutive games.
“We’re going to manage it accordingly. The plan for tonight would be shorter bursts and we’ll see on the minutes,” Kerr explained. “But first game back he’s not playing 48 minutes.”
Decisions regarding Curry’s playing schedule will depend on how the veteran guard feels physically, along with guidance from Vice President of Player Health and Performance Rick Celebrini.
The superstar guard participated in multiple scrimmages during the past week to evaluate his injured right knee. On Saturday, Curry mentioned that ending his season early was never under consideration. Kerr expressed optimism about finally having Stephen and his younger sibling Seth play alongside each other.
While Kerr had indicated Saturday that Curry was anticipated to return for his first appearance since the January 30th matchup against Detroit, the Warriors still designated him as questionable on their injury report.
“He’s scheduled to play,” Kerr confirmed before Sunday’s game.
Following Saturday’s team practice, Curry acknowledged that managing discomfort has become his “new normal” and that the upcoming offseason will require substantial rehabilitation.
The 38-year-old initially anticipated returning shortly after the All-Star break, but his recovery timeline extended due to challenging periods where he would feel healthy, increase his activity level, then experience setbacks the following day.
Curry tops the Warriors’ scoring charts with an average of 27.2 points per game, making his absence particularly challenging for the team.
The Warriors entered Sunday’s game with a 36-41 record, having dropped three consecutive contests. Without Curry this season, the team posted a 13-25 record, including a 9-18 mark during his absence due to patellofemoral pain syndrome.
