Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors warms up before their game against the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center on April 01, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors warms up before their game against the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center on April 01, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Injured Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors greets teammates during a time out of their game against the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at Chase Center on April 01, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
It was the first bit of normalcy in weeks. The first jolt of excitement for the Golden State Warriors in far too long.
And a very welcome sight.
Before Wednesday’s game, the Warriors’ 127-113 loss to the Spurs at Chase Center, Stephen Curry participated in shooting drills. There was No. 30, draining 3-point shots, looping in 20-footers, running around the arc, bopping in place, constantly moving.
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The site was comforting. Familiar. And a good omen.
Curry hadn’t shot on the floor before a game — with the whole world watching — since the last game he played, Jan. 30, sixty days earlier. He has missed 26 games. But now all signs point to him returning to the court on Easter Sunday against Houston. (Please, hold your resurrection jokes.)
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“He said yesterday that he wanted to shoot on the court,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I think it’s purposeful. I think he wants to feel the crowd and show the crowd that he wants to come back. So that’s the hope. He’ll have another scrimmage here in the next couple days — I think tomorrow — and we’ll see how he feels after that.”
If Curry returns Sunday, the Warriors would have five regular-season games remaining to try to get organized for a play-in game on either April 14 or April 15. To see if they can salvage something from this miserable, injury-riddled season.
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“There’s not a whole lot of time, obviously,” Kerr said. “Three or four games and hopefully we can develop a semblance of a rotation and figure out exactly who we want to play with whom.
“Three or four games. That’s all we need.”
A handful of games is better than nothing. Not because there’s any expectation that Curry will arrive in a superhero cape and carry his team from play-in to playoffs and on to a postseason run. Though, let’s be honest, that’s everybody’s secret dream.
But it’s imperative for the Warriors to learn more than just what the rotation is for mid-April. They need to know what the future could look like. What questions can be answered. And they need to launch into next season with the kind of urgency only Curry’s greatness can create.
This season, which started with such high hopes, has been over for a while, ending when Jimmy Butler went down in mid-January with a season-ending ACL injury. The fact that Curry was felled by “runner’s knee” 11 days later, only solidified the misery. The Warriors went from must-watch to can’t-watch.
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Now they are all but locked into the Western Conference’s 10th spot, unable to fall further in the short amount of time remaining, unlikely to move up and apparently unwilling to try, given their caution with injuries and playing time. There’s not much wiggle room, so it would be silly to take risks.
Some have even wondered why the Warriors don’t just tank for the lottery.
“We just compete,” Kerr said. “That’s the job. Steph’s in the final stages of his career, he has a chance to compete in the playoffs and he’s going to want to. Our group’s going to want to.”
Curry turned 38 last month. He is indeed in the final stages of his career. There was hope he and Butler could carry this team on another playoff journey. But even if that hope is dashed, and the hopes of playing past April 17 are slim, there’s still plenty to play for.
The Warriors desperately need an infusion of Curry to remind everyone what the mission is. To set the tone for this critical offseason.
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To see what Curry looks like on the floor with Kristaps Porzingis, and maybe give Porzingis incentive to stay with the Warriors. Porzingis is already enamored with Rick Celebrini, the team’s health and fitness guru and another Warriors GOAT.
To get back the chemistry between Curry and Draymond Green, and conjure memories of the magic they made together and why one is indispensable to the other.
To restore the electricity in Chase Center, which has been sorely missing — though there was a full house on Wednesday in order to see the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama.
To reinvigorate Kerr, who has appeared worn out at times this season, and who is working without a contract extension. The thought has long been that Kerr will coach the Warriors as long as Curry is playing, and that Curry wants Kerr to be his coach as long as he is a Warrior. Seeing the pair in action will be a reminder of its genius.
And the NBA needs a blast of Curry. Curry magic, Curry flurries, Curry bringing an arena to its feet. Curry is pure entertainment, and the NBA is a little more boring without him.
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There was some hope — certainly from ESPN — that Curry could play in the nationally televised game on Wednesday night. ESPN would have delighted in a Paris Olympics gold medal rematch between Curry and Wembanyama, two NBA unicorns.
But while Wembanyama did his part, scoring 41 points, the only Curry on the floor was Seth. The older brother was on the bench, wearing a personalized new violet Valkyries jersey, watching his team lose again.
But clearly Curry is close to returning.
“That’s the goal,” Kerr said. “That’s the point of trying to get everybody healthy, you just give yourself a chance. The play-in is literally just one game. Try to win one game. Then, if you’re the nine or 10 seed, try to win one more.
“And if we have Steph, if we’re healthy and we have Al (Horford) and Kristaps and Draymond, then I know we can do that.”
With Curry, there’s a chance. Not only to win a game or two but to recapture some magic.
And to remind everyone of the urgent mission: don’t waste his remaining time.