Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry sustained a right quad contusion during Wednesday's 104-100 loss to the Houston Rockets and is expected to miss roughly one week. The injury occurred late in the fourth quarter, and Curry will be reevaluated after treatment. The Warriors, currently 10-10, face upcoming games without their key guard.
Stephen Curry exited the Golden State Warriors' NBA Cup game against the Houston Rockets with 35.2 seconds remaining in a 104-100 defeat at Chase Center on Wednesday night. The two-time MVP suffered a right quadriceps contusion and muscle strain after taking a charge from Amen Thompson with 3:24 left, when the score was tied at 91-91. An initial offensive foul on Thompson was overturned to a block on Curry, who grimaced in pain but continued briefly before limping to the locker room.
Curry played 32:45 minutes, finishing with 14 points on 4-for-13 shooting, including 2-for-9 from three-point range, along with six rebounds, five assists, and seven turnovers. The Warriors' medical staff confirmed the injury via MRI, stating he avoided a serious issue but will be sidelined for about a week, depending on treatment response. He is likely to miss at least three games: home matchups against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, followed by a road trip starting against the Philadelphia 76ers eight days after the injury.
"When I heard it was a quad, I was actually relieved," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "Better than an ankle or a knee." Kerr added that Curry's absence "changes everything—our rotations, how we're playing, who we're playing through."
The Warriors sit at 10-10 overall and 1-3 in NBA Cup group play, eighth in the Western Conference. Curry has missed four games this season, with Golden State going 1-3 without him. Additionally, guard Gary Payton II sprained his left ankle earlier in the game, further testing the team's depth. Teammate Brandin Podziemski noted, "Everybody’s got to do just a little bit more... collectively you hope that’s good enough to win."