Warriors Playoff Push Boosted As Curry Returns, Kerr Says

Stephen Curry’s return from injury has given the Golden State Warriors renewed belief as the NBA Play-In Tournament approaches, even though a narrow 117-116 defeat to the Houston Rockets extended their losing streak and left the team facing a difficult route to the Western Conference playoffs.

Golden State now sit at 36-42 and are effectively locked into 10th place in the Western Conference, which means the Warriors must win two consecutive Play-In games to capture the final postseason berth, and this will be their first campaign below 0.500 since the 2019-20 season.

Curry played for the first time since 30 January after a right knee injury, coming off the bench yet immediately leading Golden State with 29 points in only 26 minutes, hitting 11-of-21 from the field and 5-of-10 from three-point range, but the late rally still fell short against Houston.

During the loss, Curry ended a spell of 27 missed games yet quickly looked comfortable, while the Warriors’ defeat marked their fourth straight setback and meant they have now dropped 12 of their past 16 contests, deepening the pressure before the final week of the regular season.

Head coach Steve Kerr underlined how Curry’s comeback changes the outlook for the group, saying: "You can just feel it, Kerr said. We're back in the mix." Kerr believes that presence alone strengthens Golden State’s chances of navigating the Play-In and extending the season.

Kerr expanded on Curry’s influence, stating: "We're back in the fight with Steph. It doesn't take much for him to find his rhythm. His rhythm is also our rhythm. He changes everything. I don't think there's a tougher defender in the league for him to have his first game against than Amen Thompson. That's quite a test. Steph looked amazing."

Key numbers from Golden State’s situation can be summarised as follows.

The Warriors now have only four regular-season games remaining and face a quick turnaround before meeting the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, while Curry, focusing on the short-term challenge ahead, said: "Got to be smart and do the right thing for the right reasons, Curry said. All I'm looking forward to is Tuesday."

With the team below 0.500 and battling through a four-game skid, Golden State now lean heavily on Curry’s form and experience for the Play-In push, hoping that improved rhythm in the remaining fixtures can offset recent struggles and keep their playoff hopes alive.