While the Houston Rockets escaped Chase Center with a 117-116 victory on Sunday night, the Golden State Warriors had something far more valuable to look forward to.
Stephen Curry, back after his injury hiatus, looked healthy and dangerous. The two-time MVP stepping onto the court instantly changed the atmosphere around the team.
Stephen Curry’s Return Breathes New Life into the Warriors’ Postseason Hopes
Curry suited up for the first time since Jan. 30 after missing 27 straight games with a nagging right knee injury. Although his initial diagnosis suggested a brief absence, he ended up facing a grueling two-month rehabilitation.
Chase Center buzzed with nervous anticipation on Sunday as fans filed into the building early just to catch a glimpse of Curry’s signature pregame warmup routine.
The Rockets looked poised to run away with the contest early in the second half, having built a 15-point lead midway through the third quarter. That’s when head coach Steve Kerr unleashed Curry, who spearheaded a blistering 11-0 run to keep the game within striking distance.
Coming off the bench in a regular-season game for the first time since 2011-12, Curry recorded 29 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists. He went 11-for-21 from the field and kept the Warriors in the contest until a game-winner from Alperen Şengün sunk Golden State in the dying seconds.
KEEP READING: ‘Something Kobe Would Do’: Sports Doctors React to Luka Dončić’s Hail Mary to Return Quicker, Save Lakers’ Season
Despite the narrow defeat, the Warriors’ camp was more than delighted to have Curry back. Speaking to the media after the game, Kerr expressed his relief.
“You can just feel it. We’re back in the mix. We’re back in the fight with Steph, and that’s a hell of a team,” Kerr said. “They’ve been really hot lately and fully healthy, and we took ’em down to the last shot, obviously, so felt good about the effort.”
“We’re back in the mix. We’re back in the fight with Steph.”
Steve Kerr and the Dubs have faith again 🙌 pic.twitter.com/sQaeBZjTJZ— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 6, 2026
For the Rockets, nobody understood the threat Curry posed better than Kevin Durant, who dropped a game-high 31 points for his team. Durant watched his former championship running mate nearly steal the game away in the final minutes.
“We had the game in control, and then they put No. 30 in the game, and he got them back into it so easily. He makes shots so quickly, and he looked incredible after a couple of months off,” Durant said.
Through 40 appearances, Curry is averaging 27.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. For Dub Nation, his return was the biggest positive of the night, and for Kerr, this means he must now manage a delicate balancing act.
Curry returned on a strict minutes restriction, and keeping him healthy during a brutal scheduling stretch will be key to the Warriors’ hopes of advancing in the play-in.
