Stephen Curry delivered a vintage shooting night Thursday, then limped out of the arena with a familiar injury concern that immediately shifted the conversation.
The Golden State Warriors beat the New York Knicks 126-113 at Chase Center, but Curry's postgame discomfort overshadowed the win after he revealed he played through a quad contusion.
A scare beneath the stat line
Curry finished with 27 points, seven assists, and three rebounds in 34 minutes, shooting 10-of-17 from the field and 4-of-9 from three. He looked fully in rhythm after going just 5-for-19 from deep over his previous two games, spacing the floor and controlling the game late.
Yet the injury surfaced after the final buzzer. According to Anthony Slater of ESPN, Curry was visibly in pain postgame and acknowledged the quad issue. While it did not appear to affect him during play, the limp in the tunnel raised immediate concern.
That context matters because this isn't new. Curry already missed five games earlier this season after suffering a quad contusion in a December loss to the Houston Rockets. Golden State's offense sputtered without him, underscoring how little margin the team has when its star is compromised.
What it means for Golden State
The win pushed the Warriors to 23-19, four games over .500 for the first time this season, a meaningful marker for a team trying to separate from the Western Conference middle. Curry's movement and shot-making were central to that push. So is his availability.
Golden State hosts the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday, and Curry's status will be closely monitored over the next 48 hours. Even a short absence would force redistribution of ball-handling and late-game creation on an already inconsistent roster.
Thursday night offered both reassurance and warning. Curry's game remains elite. His body, once again, is something the Warriors can't afford to gamble with as the second half of the season approaches.
Newsweek