The Warriors’ hot streak came to an end, but the bigger worry was what happened to their star. He left the building before the game ended to undergo tests, leaving his team and fans anxious.
Stephen Curry left the arena during the second half of the Golden State Warriors’ 115 to 108 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, to get an MRI on an oblique injury and abdominal pain.
How did Stephen Curry get hurt?
Curry began grabbing at his right side a few minutes into the game but tried to play through the pain, glancing at the team’s training staff. The discomfort grew as the quarter went on.
Midway through the first quarter, he came off a screen from Draymond Green and hit a long shot from beyond the arc but yelled in pain after letting it go and signaled toward the bench.
The Warriors called a timeout soon after, and Curry went to the locker room in obvious discomfort. Early in the second quarter, the team ruled him out with soreness in his right abdomen. A member of the team’s medical staff followed him off the court.
How serious is the oblique injury?
The Warriors coach said Curry told him the injury felt like nothing he had experienced before. He said concern is high but that he had no idea of the extent. The team will know more once doctors review the scan.
An oblique injury affects the muscles along the side of the torso and can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to heal, depending on severity.
At halftime, before leaving for the MRI, Curry told his teammates to focus on the game and assured them he would be fine. His message showed his leadership even while injured.
What did the loss cost the Warriors?
Golden State trailed 19 to 10 when Curry left, rallied to tie the game, but lost by seven points. The loss ended a winning streak of eight games.
Before the oblique injury, Curry was averaging 30.6 points in just 28.6 minutes a game, leading the team’s strong start. He had been one of the league’s most efficient scorers this season.
The Warriors have won eight games and lost four this season, including one win and one loss without Curry.
How will the Warriors cope with Curry’s oblique injury?
The team was already missing several key players. Starting wings Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody are recovering from knee injuries, center Kristaps Porzingis has stepped away from the team, and backup guard Brandon Williams will miss at least a week with a strained hamstring.
Last season, the Warriors won 13 games and lost 26 in the 39 games Curry missed. That stretch showed how much the team relies on him.
A Warriors forward said the team’s spirit is better and that players are more certain of who they are this year. He pointed to rookie Yaxel Lendeborg’s ability to create plays and the improved play of Brandin Podziemski. Lendeborg has been one of the league’s breakout rookies, including a game in Denver in which he scored 31.
What is next for Stephen Curry?
The Warriors will wait for the MRI results to determine how long Curry might be out with the oblique injury.
Golden State plays the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, a matchup with Victor Wembanyama and one of the league’s best teams. The Spurs have been one of the league’s hottest teams.
For a franchise that has revolved around Stephen Curry for nearly two decades, any extended absence from the oblique injury would be a major test.
