Stephen Curry's Injury Halts Warriors' Strong Start
Stephen Curry walked into the visitors’ locker room in Houston on Wednesday night looking ready to extend the Golden State Warriors’ blistering run. Minutes later, he was back in that same tunnel, this time bent slightly, his right hand pressed to his hip, the entire tone of the Warriors’ season shifting with him.
The two-time MVP exited early in the first quarter of Golden State’s road game against the Houston Rockets after suffering what the team labeled right abdominal soreness. He was quickly ruled out for the rest of the night.
It all turned on a shot he has hit thousands of times.
Curry had just drilled a three-pointer with a little more than seven minutes left in the opening quarter. As he backpedaled, something clearly went wrong. His face tightened, his hand went straight to his right hip, and any thought of another routine Curry eruption disappeared. He tried to move it off, but the pain didn’t.
Moments later, he headed to the locker room.
By the time the Warriors made it official — Curry would not return — the mood around their red-hot start had cooled. In six minutes, he finished with just three points, a tiny blip in what had been a massive start to his season.
A Surge Stalled
Golden State had arrived in Houston riding a wave. After opening the season with three straight losses, the Warriors had ripped off eight consecutive wins, rebuilding their confidence, their rhythm, and their edge. At the center of it all: Curry, still the engine, still the problem no defense has solved.
Through nine games, he has been operating at an MVP-level pace again — averaging 30.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists, while shooting a blistering 50.3% from the field and 45.7% from beyond the arc. Every night, the numbers have felt routine. They are anything but.
That’s what makes this such a jarring twist. A team that had finally steadied itself now faces a fresh, unwelcome question.
Short-Handed and Stretched
The Warriors were already walking a tightrope with their health and roster upheaval.
- Jimmy Butler, sidelined by a torn ACL, has yet to make his season debut.
- Moses Moody, recovering from a torn patellar tendon, is also still out.
- On top of that, the franchise continues to navigate its split with Kristaps Porzingis, whose absence has been tied to postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
For a group that once prided itself on continuity, the moving pieces have been relentless.
Curry’s injury adds another layer of strain.
With their leader out, the backcourt load shifts to Will Richard, Gary Payton II, and De'Anthony Melton, who are all expected to carry more responsibility and help Brandin Podziemski steady the perimeter. None of them replicate Curry’s gravity or shot-making, but they’ll be asked to plug gaps, chase guards, and keep the offense functional until there’s clarity on Curry’s status.
For Payton II, that likely means even more defensive assignments at the point of attack. For Melton, more on-ball creation and perimeter shooting. For Podziemski, more orchestration and poise in big minutes. The margin for error shrinks quickly when the franchise cornerstone is in the training room instead of on the floor.
A Season’s Balance
This was supposed to be another night for Golden State to prove that its early stumble was a glitch, not a sign of decline. Instead, the sight of Curry wincing and walking off became the defining image.
The Warriors have rebuilt momentum once already this season. The question now is harsher and simpler: how many times can they do it without the man who makes everything else make sense?
