The Golden State Warriors faithful finally had their wish granted on Sunday night at Chase Center: Stephen Curry made his much-anticipated return to NBA action after a grueling two-plus-month absence. The electrifying guard, sidelined since January 30 with a right knee injury known as patellofemoral pain syndrome, stepped onto the hardwood against the Houston Rockets, greeted by a raucous standing ovation and a buzz that rippled through the arena. Fans had been chanting, “We want Steph! We want Steph!” for weeks—and on April 5, 2026, their patience paid off.
But there was a twist. For the first time in 14 years, Curry came off the bench in a regular-season game. Head coach Steve Kerr, ever the tactician, had made it clear before tipoff that Curry would be on a strict minutes restriction—expected to play about 24 to 25 minutes, and only in short bursts to ease him back into the punishing NBA schedule. “He’s one of the most beloved players in league history, Bay Area history in any sport and I think a long absence like this reminds everybody how lucky we are to see him, to watch him, to coach him, to play with him,” Kerr reflected before the game. “So tonight’s a special night because we’re reminded of how lucky we’ve been and how lucky we still are.”
The Warriors’ starting lineup—Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Gui Santos, Draymond Green, and Kristaps Porzingis—took the floor while Curry watched from the sidelines, anxiously awaiting his return. When he finally checked in with 4:54 left in the opening quarter, the crowd erupted. Curry wasted no time making his presence felt, immediately dishing out an assist to Charles Bassey, who had just signed with Golden State that very day. Moments later, Curry swished a three-pointer with 34 seconds remaining in the period, raising his arms in delight and sending the crowd into another frenzy.
The excitement wasn’t just about Curry’s return, though. For the first time in Warriors franchise history, Stephen and his younger brother Seth Curry played together in an NBA regular-season game. Seth, who had recently recovered from an adductor injury, joined Steph on the court at the 6:19 mark of the second quarter. “That was special,” Steph said after the game. “We both had very difficult years, honestly him more than me with injuries. I was joking calling us the rehab brothers. It’s been like that all year but to have that moment coming out of a timeout, talking about our matchups, I was having flashbacks to Charlotte Christian in high school my senior year, his sophomore year was the last time in an actual game. ... That was a dream come true to be honest, it hasn’t really sunk in yet.” Their mother, Sonya Curry, was in the stands to witness the historic moment.
Despite the heartwarming reunion and Curry’s impressive individual performance—he tallied 29 points on 11-for-21 shooting, including 5-of-10 from beyond the arc, and became the 26th player in NBA history to reach 9,000 field goals—the night ended with a bittersweet taste. The Warriors fell just short, losing 117-116 to the Houston Rockets in a nail-biter that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer. Curry had a chance to play hero, launching a long, straightaway three-pointer on the Warriors’ last possession, but the shot missed its mark. Still, the fact that he was back, healthy, and competing at a high level was a victory in itself for Golden State.
Coach Kerr, keeping a watchful eye on his superstar’s health, reiterated that Curry’s minutes would be closely monitored in the coming games. With five contests packed into the next eight days—including matchups against the Kings (twice), the short-handed Lakers, and the Clippers—the Warriors are in a race against time to secure their place in the play-in tournament. “It’s still unclear how many of the remaining games Curry will play given Golden State has five contests in eight days with a back-to-back the rest of the way—the expectation is he wouldn’t play on consecutive nights,” Kerr noted. The decision will depend on Curry’s feedback and guidance from Rick Celebrini, the team’s Vice President of Player Health and Performance.
The Warriors entered Sunday’s game with a 36-41 record, sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference—3.5 games behind the Trail Blazers and three games behind the Clippers. The team has struggled mightily without Curry this season, going 13-25 in his absence, including a 9-18 stretch while he was sidelined. In contrast, they boast a 23-16 record when Curry suits up. The loss to Houston marked their fourth consecutive defeat, putting even more pressure on the team as the postseason approaches.
Curry’s return brings hope—not just for the Warriors’ playoff ambitions, but also for the chemistry of a roster that’s seen its share of changes and adversity. Sunday night marked the first time Curry and Kristaps Porzingis shared the court together, a pairing that had yet to even scrimmage prior to the game. Kerr is optimistic about how the new-look lineup can gel with Curry orchestrating the offense. “You can just feel it, we’re back in the mix, we’re back in the fight with Steph,” Kerr said, echoing the sentiment of Warriors fans everywhere.
Houston, meanwhile, had plenty of motivation themselves. At 48-29, the Rockets are still jockeying for playoff seeding and showed no signs of letting up. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka acknowledged the challenge Curry presents: “One of the best movers in the game… Obviously, we’ve seen him enough and know some things that have hurt us in the past.”
For Curry, the journey back to the court has been anything but easy. He scrimmaged several times in the week leading up to his return to test his knee and admitted that dealing with pain is now part of his “new normal.” The 38-year-old had initially hoped to return right after the All-Star break, but setbacks forced him to be patient. “There were a lot of nerves all day, my family supporting me at home when I was a nervous wreck trying to pass the hours before I got to the arena but once you get back into your routine I’ve been doing it so long muscle memory takes over and the adrenalin takes over,” Curry said. “I appreciate the fans and the reception and just the buzz that was in the arena because you know at a certain point you won’t be able to tap into that. So very grateful, it was a beautiful day and now I can kind of settle in to how we’re going to finish the year.”
As the Warriors look ahead to a crucial stretch, all eyes will be on Curry’s health and the team’s ability to rally around their leader. The playoff picture remains uncertain, but with Steph back in the mix, Golden State’s hopes are alive and well. The journey isn’t over yet—the next chapter starts now.