Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
Getty
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
Thursday night in Houston was already a big story before tip-off. The Golden State Warriors were about to pull off a stunning overtime upset over the Houston Rockets with seven players out. But before any of that unfolded, something caught the eye of those inside Toyota Center.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater spotted Seth Curry on the court knocking down four consecutive corner threes during a pregame workout. Kristaps Porzingis was out there alongside him. For a Warriors team that has been ravaged by injuries all season, the sight of two players inching toward a return was a welcome one.
Seth Curry has appeared in just two games this season, both in early December, before a sciatic nerve injury shut him down entirely. He has barely been seen since.
Anthony Slater
Welcome sight for the Warriors: Kristaps Porzingis and Seth Curry currently starting up a pregame on-court workout tonight in Houston
Why Seth Curry’s Return Matters for the Warriors
Stephen Curry, Seth Curry, Warriors
GettyStephen Curry #30 and Seth Curry #31 of the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors pulled off Thursday’s 115-113 overtime win over the Houston Rockets with just seven of their 14 rostered players available. Three two-way contract players logged meaningful minutes. That kind of depth crisis is unsustainable over a 20-game stretch run, and the potential returns of both Curry and Porzingis offer a lifeline the Warriors desperately need.
Seth Curry’s value to this team is straightforward. The Warriors lean heavily on the three-point shot but rank just 14th in three-point percentage across the league this season. Curry, a career 43.3 percent shooter from deep, is exactly the kind of floor spacer that could move the needle. His debut back in December was a reminder of what he can still do — 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting against the Oklahoma City Thunder in limited minutes, a performance that briefly had the fanbase excited before the injury derailed everything.
The question now is whether he can build on that glimpse with the season on the line.
Playing for His NBA Career
At 35, Seth Curry is running out of runway. Outside of that December debut, his first season in the Bay has been defined almost entirely by absence. His contract situation is uncertain heading into next summer. The final stretch of this season is bigger than just helping the Warriors stay afloat.
It is an audition. Not just for Golden State, but for every team watching.
Come back healthy and shoot it like he did in December, and he earns himself another contract somewhere. Fail to do that, and his 12-year NBA career may be quietly fading toward its conclusion.
The Warriors have a demanding schedule ahead. They face the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Saturday before a back-to-back against the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls on Monday and Tuesday. Every game matters for a team clinging to the eighth seed.
Final Word for the Warriors
Thursday night belonged to Brandin Podziemski and the two-way guys who stepped up in a stunning upset. But the pregame footage of Seth Curry drilling corner threes may end up being just as significant in the long run.
Golden State needs shooters. Curry needs a lifeline. If he can get healthy at the right moment, those two realities could align perfectly down the stretch.
The Warriors are holding it together. Reinforcements may be coming sooner than expected.