Warriors star to miss Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago while recovering from contusion

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry will not make the upcoming road trip to Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Chicago because of a left thigh contusion, extending his absence at least three more games.

Curry was set for an official re-evaluation on Thursday, but Warriors coach Steve Kerr got ahead of the update. He called Curry a long shot to return by the weekend, so Kerr, Curry, and Rick Celebrini, the franchise’s lead medical decision-maker, opted to leave him back in the Bay Area for treatment.

Curry injured his quad last Wednesday night in a home loss to the Houston Rockets. The injury will ultimately force him to miss at least five games, but Kerr sounded optimistic that Curry should be back for Golden State’s home game next Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The team has four days off after the road trip and two practices in the leadup to the Minnesota game.



Jimmy Butler’s status also uncertain

It’s also unclear whether the Warriors will have their second star, Jimmy Butler, to open the road trip Thursday night against the Sixers. Butler missed the second half of Tuesday night’s 124-112 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder because of a sore left knee.

Kerr admitted he didn’t know anything more about Butler’s status. The coach didn’t even know Butler was out until he was drawing up a play with a minute to go before the second half and somebody came into the huddle and said Butler was down.

Butler came into the game questionable with a glute contusion. He has also battled some ankle and back soreness early this season for a veteran Warriors team that has wobbled to an 11-11 record through 22 games.

Seth Curry provides spark in debut

Down 22 to the Thunder, the depleted Warriors made a surprising second-half surge and briefly took the lead in the fourth quarter, in part due to Seth Curry scoring 14 points in 14 bench minutes in his debut.

But the defending champions closed strong. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 38 points to bump the Thunder’s record to 21-1, sending the Warriors out on the road reeling after a 2-3 homestand.

Extended absence compounds Warriors struggles

Curry’s five-game absence represents a significant blow to Golden State’s efforts to stabilize their season. The Warriors entered the year with championship expectations after adding Butler in free agency, but injuries have prevented the star duo from developing chemistry.

The left thigh contusion occurred during last Wednesday’s loss to Houston, sidelining the franchise’s cornerstone player during a crucial stretch of games. While the injury doesn’t appear serious enough to threaten long-term availability, missing five games in a compressed NBA schedule creates challenges for any team.

Kerr’s optimism about Curry returning for the Minnesota game next Friday provides a timeline, though the medical staff will ultimately determine his availability based on how the quad responds to treatment. The four-day break after the road trip and two practice sessions should allow Curry to rebuild conditioning before returning to game action.

Butler’s recurring issues create concerns

Butler’s knee soreness adds another layer of uncertainty to Golden State’s injury situation. The veteran forward already came into Tuesday’s game questionable with a glute contusion, and now a sore left knee has emerged as an additional concern.

The fact that Butler’s absence in the second half caught Kerr by surprise suggests the injury developed suddenly rather than being a planned rest situation. That unpredictability makes roster management more difficult as the coaching staff prepares for the three-game road trip.

Butler has battled ankle and back soreness early this season as well, raising questions about whether the 35-year-old veteran can stay healthy enough to fulfill his role. The Warriors signed Butler expecting his two-way excellence and championship experience to complement Curry, but injuries have limited their time together on the court.

Seth Curry’s encouraging debut

The bright spot from Tuesday’s loss was Seth Curry’s productive debut. Scoring 14 points in 14 minutes off the bench demonstrates he can provide immediate offensive punch despite not playing competitively for months.

The Warriors signed Seth Curry specifically for moments like this when injuries deplete the roster and they need a proven shooter who understands the system. His familiarity with Golden State’s offensive principles from his previous stint with the organization allowed him to contribute immediately.

Whether Seth can sustain this production level remains uncertain, but the debut performance suggests he can be a valuable rotation piece while the Warriors navigate their injury crisis.

Challenging road trip ahead

The three-game trip to Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Chicago presents significant challenges for a Warriors team missing its best player and potentially its second-best as well. All three opponents are competitive teams capable of exploiting Golden State’s depleted roster.

The Sixers game Thursday night will be particularly difficult if both Curry and Butler remain sidelined. Philadelphia will view this as an opportunity to take advantage of the Warriors’ vulnerability and build momentum.

Cleveland and Chicago games later in the trip offer no respite. Both teams have played well this season and will be equally motivated to beat a championship-contending team even if that team is short-handed.

Season at crossroads

Golden State’s 11-11 record through 22 games represents a disappointing start given their championship aspirations. The 2-3 homestand sends them on the road with negative momentum and significant injury concerns.

The Warriors need to find ways to stay competitive during Curry’s absence. Expecting wins without their franchise player and possibly without Butler is unrealistic, but avoiding a disastrous road trip that tanks their playoff seeding is crucial.

When Curry returns against Minnesota, the Warriors will hopefully have both stars healthy and available to build chemistry. But for now, they face three difficult road games with a depleted roster and mounting pressure to salvage their season.

The Oklahoma City loss, where they fought back from 22 down before ultimately falling, at least showed fight. But moral victories don’t improve standings. The Warriors need actual wins, and getting them without Curry for at least three more games will require collective effort and role players stepping up.

The four-day break after the road trip can’t come soon enough for a team desperately needing time to heal and regroup.