Stephen Curry finally returned to the Chase Center floor on Wednesday night. The two-time MVP went through his customary pregame shooting routine, firing three-pointers and moving around the arc with his usual fluidity. It was a welcome sight for a Golden State fanbase that hasn’t seen its franchise cornerstone play a live game in over two months.
The pregame workout was strictly ceremonial, as the Warriors’ medical staff had already ruled him out for Thursday night’s road matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Golden State is currently fighting to secure a postseason berth and is clinging to the final Play-In Tournament spot in the Western Conference. They need their best player back in the lineup to have any shot at a deep run.
What Is Stephen Curry’s Status Right Now?
The veteran guard is officially sidelined for Thursday’s game in Cleveland. The Warriors are executing a highly conservative rehab plan after Curry reached his biggest recovery milestone to date. He successfully completed a full-contact, five-on-five scrimmage on Tuesday afternoon.
Head coach Steve Kerr told reporters the gym instantly felt bouncier with Curry back in the mix. Teammate Gui Santos echoed that sentiment, noting the immense confidence boost the entire roster feels when the legendary shooter is on the floor.
“It’s amazing, man,” Santos told reporters after Tuesday’s practice. “Just to have him out there with us, you know? It’s always great. We have a lot more confidence when we have a guy like Steph on the court. That’s no doubt about it. He looked good out there.”
Looking good in a controlled practice environment is vastly different from surviving the rigors of an NBA game. Curry is dealing with patellofemoral pain syndrome, commonly referred to as runner’s knee, and associated bone bruising. The condition causes significant discomfort during explosive movements and requires careful load management.
The medical staff wants to see how his knee responds to the heavy practice workload before clearing him for real competition. Curry himself acknowledged the unpredictable nature of his recovery.
“It felt great. I’m checking the boxes,” Curry told ESPN after his Tuesday scrimmage. “But with this, it’s always unpredictable because I don’t know how the knee will respond because it hasn’t responded well in the past attempts to get to this five-on-five level. I’m right where I need to be for right now, and I’m hoping that it continues until the weekend.”
Sitting out against the Cavaliers is a simple numbers game. Thursday marks the second night of a back-to-back set for Golden State. Throwing a 38-year-old guard into a physical road game after a two-month layoff is an unnecessary risk. The medical team plans to re-evaluate his knee over the weekend following another scheduled scrimmage.
Kerr noted that Curry’s decision to shoot in front of the home crowd on Wednesday was highly intentional. The coach believes his star player wanted to feel the energy in the building and signal to everyone that he is nearing the finish line of his rehab.
When Is Curry Coming Back?
All signs point toward Sunday’s home game against the Houston Rockets. If Curry gets through his upcoming practice sessions without any swelling or setbacks in his right knee, he is heavily favored to rejoin the starting lineup.
Reporting for NBA Today — Stephen Curry has set a goal to return for the Golden State Warriors on Sunday against the Houston Rockets, with the next few days as a vital period to receive clearance: pic.twitter.com/GdDVBIIkDS
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 1, 2026
Golden State’s margin for error is gone. The team has muddled through a chaotic year defined by brutal injuries and major roster turnover. The front office made a massive move at the February trade deadline, acquiring big man Kristaps Porzingis to give Curry a dynamic pick-and-pop partner.
Fans have barely seen that pairing in action. With veteran Jimmy Butler III already ruled out for the remainder of the season, the Warriors are relying entirely on the newly formed Curry-Porzingis tandem to salvage their year.
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They have virtually no time to build on-court chemistry. Assuming Curry is cleared for Sunday’s tipoff against Houston, the duo will share the floor for roughly five regular-season games. That small sample size has to serve as their entire training camp before the Play-In Tournament begins.
A healthy Curry completely changes the geometry of the basketball court. Opposing defenses must abandon their standard drop coverages and pick-and-roll schemes to track him 35 feet from the basket. That gravity opens up easy cutting lanes for Jonathan Kuminga and provides wide-open perimeter looks for the rest of the supporting cast.
The Warriors have struggled to generate easy points without that offensive engine. Their half-court execution routinely bogs down late in the fourth quarter. Getting the greatest shooter in basketball history back into the fold fixes many structural issues.
Golden State just has to survive Thursday night in Cleveland first. The Cavaliers boast a massive frontcourt and elite defensive guards who will aggressively pressure the perimeter. The Warriors need to lean on Porzingis and their young wings to steal a road win and maintain their standing in the Western Conference bracket.
Sunday cannot come fast enough for the Chase Center crowd. Curry looks ready to end his extended absence and drag this roster into the postseason.
