The longer Stephen Curry remains sidelined, the more urgent the situation becomes for the Golden State Warriors, and now even head coach Steve Kerr is acknowledging the reality.
With the regular season entering its final stretch, Kerr admitted the team is running out of opportunities to properly reintegrate its franchise star before the play-in tournament begins.
“We need to give him a runway if this is going to work, and we are running out of games,” Kerr said ahead of Friday’s matchup against the Washington Wizards. “That’s fair to say.”
Curry, 38, has been out since late January with a lingering knee issue, missing more than three weeks of action at a critical point in the season. While there is optimism around his recovery, the timeline has repeatedly shifted, and that uncertainty is now shaping Golden State’s postseason outlook.
Kerr made it clear the Warriors are not willing to rush Curry back for a single high-stakes appearance.
“We’re not bringing him back just for the play-in game,” Kerr said. “He needs to play some games.”
That stance reflects both caution and necessity. For Curry to return effectively, he would need time to regain rhythm through live game action, something the calendar may no longer allow.
Golden State has fewer than 10 games remaining, and Curry has yet to be cleared for full 5-on-5 scrimmage work. He was expected to reach that stage earlier in the week, but the session was delayed, pushing his potential return further into doubt.
The team’s latest update described Curry as making “good progress,” with a scrimmage expected soon. However, final clearance rests with the Warriors’ medical staff, and Kerr emphasized that health remains the priority.
“The whole idea is if he’s healthy, he’s going to play,” Kerr said. “If he’s not healthy, or if there’s any risk at all, then he won’t play.”
A season drifting without its leader
Curry’s absence has taken a clear toll. The Warriors have struggled to maintain consistency, slipping into the play-in positions and losing ground in a tightly contested Western Conference.
Without their primary offensive engine, Golden State’s production has dipped, and their margin for error has narrowed. The team is currently tracking toward a 9-10 play-in matchup, which would require two consecutive wins just to secure a playoff berth.
That scenario becomes significantly more daunting without Curry, whose influence extends far beyond scoring. His presence dictates defensive attention, creates spacing and stabilizes the Warriors’ system.
Compounding the issue, Golden State has also dealt with multiple injuries across the roster, limiting their ability to build momentum late in the season.
A defining call approaching
As the schedule winds down, the Warriors are approaching a pivotal decision. If Curry cannot return soon enough to build match fitness, the team may be forced to consider shutting him down entirely rather than risking further injury.
For a franchise that has defined an era around Curry’s brilliance, the possibility of entering the postseason without him underscores just how precarious their position has become.
There is still a narrow path for a return, but it is shrinking with each passing game. For now, Kerr’s message reflects the balancing act ahead: protect the future, or push for one last run. Either way, time is no longer working in Golden State’s favor.
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