Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry has not played since January 30, missing each of the team's last 21 games due to what the team has repeatedly been labeling as patella-femoral pain syndrome and bone bruising in his right knee.
This injury has been causing consistent discomfort and swelling since before the All-Star break, leading to Curry's extended absence.
Before Saturday's 126-110 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the Warriors announced that Curry has continued to make “good progress” in his return and had intensified his individual workouts. The next steps, as described in the team's injury update, would be for him to be incorporated into live action and team practices in the coming days.
Head coach Steve Kerr stated over the weekend that he expected Steph to partake in 5-on-5 practice on Sunday.
Unfortunately for Curry and the Warriors, he did not partake in Sunday's 5-on-5 practice, league sources told ClutchPoints. However, team sources have been adamant that this is not being viewed as a setback and that Curry remains on the same recovery timeline, which was provided on Saturday.
He is expected to continue ramping up his on-court activities and be re-evaluated again upon the team's return to San Francisco after Monday night's game in Dallas.
The Warriors have exercised extreme caution with Curry's right knee issues, which is why an extra day was given to him before returning to 5-on-5 play in practice.
As reported by ClutchPoints before the team's update on Steph's status on Saturday, the Warriors have been optimistic about Curry returning at some point after their six-game road trip. Upon returning home, seven of the team's final 10 games of the season will be played in Chase Center, allowing Curry to receive maximum treatment on his right knee and not needing to travel much.
For weeks, the Warriors have held out hope that Steph would be able to return for at least one of their two home games on March 25 and March 27 against the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, respectively.
This mindset has not changed, sources said, yet everything will be contingent on how he feels in practice on Tuesday and what is said upon being re-evaluated in San Francisco.
All along, Curry and the Warriors have made it a point of emphasis not to shut him down for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. Steph wants to return to play again before the end of the regular season, and the team remains optimistic about their chances of being competitive in the play-in tournament with Curry on the floor, despite their fall in the standings without him.
Over their last 21 games without Steph, Golden State has gone 6-15, going from being 1.5 games back of the Phoenix Suns for the 7-seed to now trailing the Portland Trail Blazers by 1.5 games for the 9-seed in the Western Conference.
A loss to the Mavericks on Monday night would put the Warriors in an even deeper hole as the 10-seed in the West.
Throughout his recovery process, the Warriors have remained adamant that Curry has not suffered any setbacks and that his injury, which has been described as “runner's knee,” has simply resulted in prolonged pain and swelling that has persisted longer than originally expected.
Multiple tests and imaging have confirmed there is no further structural damage in his right knee.
As for the team's other injury concerns, Moses Moody, who has not played since Mar. 2 due to a right wrist sprain, is listed as questionable to play on Monday night in Dallas. Veteran big man Al Horford remains sidelined with a right soleus strain, but the Warriors remain optimistic that he will return before the end of the regular season as well.
The Warriors are currently 33-38 and have lost eight of their last nine games entering Monday night.
