![\"Reed](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775472090_440_0ebf97a2fca25681b043bcaa2a674175.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, left, kicks a pass by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, center, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, April 5, 2026,…<\/p>\n
SAN FRANCISCO \u2014 Steph Curry was triumphant in his long-awaited return to the court and, against all odds, nearly were the Warriors.<\/p>\n
There was a renewed energy inside Chase Center<\/a> on Sunday night, a buzz that had mostly been absent since Curry went out more than two months ago, that reached an apex in the final minute of 117-116 loss to Kevin Durant and the Rockets.<\/p>\n The defeat could have dealt a cold dose of reality on Curry\u2019s big day<\/a>, but instead it only emphasized what hadn\u2019t been possible in the Warriors\u2019 27 games without him since Jan. 30.<\/p>\n Golden State trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half and was still behind by double digits with as little as 4:51 remaining. Curry scored eight of his team-best 29 points from then on.<\/p>\n Curry converted a driving layup to cut the Rockets\u2019 lead to a 112-111 with 87 seconds to play, then one-upped himself by pulling up from 32 feet and draining an answer to Houston\u2019s 3-point play on the other end. With 11 seconds left, Curry had the ball in his hands, down one.<\/p>\n He crossed over and pulled up from the top of the key. It wasn\u2019t to be<\/a>.<\/p>\n The return of Curry wasn\u2019t enough to overcome the Warriors\u2019 defensive deficiencies. AP<\/p>\n Curry scored 29 points in 26 minutes. AP<\/p>\n But the performance was an encouraging sign for the Warriors\u2019 prospects, given that Curry\u2019s scoring total in 26 minutes off the bench trailed only Durant\u2019s 31 that required 37 minutes.<\/p>\n The supporting cast that had gone 9-18 without Curry over the past two months didn\u2019t do enough to pull out their first game with their north star back on the floor.<\/p>\n Kristaps Porzingis fouled out with more than 10 minutes left in the game, Brandin Podziemski scored only three of his 18 points in the second half, and the Warriors\u2019 next-leading scorer, Gui Santos, was completely shut out after putting up 15 in the first half.<\/p>\n What it means<\/p>\n Curry looked like himself and finished the game in good health. For a Warriors team locked into the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference, that\u2019s all that really mattered.<\/p>\n Turning point<\/p>\n It was a two-point game at halftime, but Durant completed a four-point play on the Rockets\u2019 first possession of the third quarter, and the Warriors spent the rest of the second half trying to get it back to that margin.<\/p>\n The foul on Durant came courtesy of Kristaps Porzingis, who went on to pick up three more within the first four minutes of the second half and fouled out for good with 10:13 to play.<\/p>\n Not only did Porzingis\u2019 foul trouble keep the Warriors\u2019 second-best player off the floor for most of the second half, it robbed coach Steve Kerr of valuable time to assess his pairing with Curry.<\/p>\n The duo\u2019s limited action Sunday was their first time ever sharing the court, including in practice.<\/p>\n Porzingis\u2019 foul trouble robbed Coach Steve Kerr of valuable time to assess his pairing with Curry. AP<\/p>\n MVP: Kevin Durant<\/p>\n Durant finished with eight rebounds and eight assists to go with a game-high 31 points. He drained his third 3-pointer of the night immediately after De\u2019Anthony Melton sank a 3 that cut the Rockets\u2019 lead to 109-107.<\/p>\n Golden State hosts the Lakers on Thursday. Curry will reportedly be limited to around 25 minutes. AP<\/p>\n Stat of the game: 55\/44.8\/84.2<\/p>\n The return of Curry wasn\u2019t enough to overcome the Warriors\u2019 defensive deficiencies.<\/p>\n Golden State provided little resistance to the Rockets, who were only prevented from a vaunted 50\/40\/90 shooting split by missing one too many of their 19 free-throw attempts.<\/p>\n Up next<\/p>\n With four games left on the Warriors\u2019 schedule, all that\u2019s left to be determined is how much Curry will play leading into their No. 9\/10 play-in matchup. Golden State hosts the Kings on Tuesday before LeBron James and the Lakers pay a visit Thursday for its final home contest of the regular season.<\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a>![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775472092_570_2baa7bc9266b233bd0faa254a4d17d24.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"Curry](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775472094_85_6dc56a2c5ec4ebc4fa25c57fe0435055.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"Porzingis\u2019](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775472095_191_7e10ae37ddf66d965340b9ebb9fad047.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"Golden](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775472096_653_f8e4e41c9d526786249c268b085b35af.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
California Post Sports Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, X<\/a>
California Post Opinion<\/a>
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!<\/a>
California Post App: Download here!<\/a>
Home delivery: Sign up here!<\/a>Page Six Hollywood: <\/a>Sign up here!<\/a><\/p>\n