Golden State’s star guard will miss this weekend’s showcase after battling “runner’s knee” for two weeks
Stephen Curry won’t be heading to Los Angeles for the All-Star Game this weekend, and Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr didn’t sugarcoat it when he announced the news before Monday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The three-time All-Star has been dealing with patellofemoral pain syndrome colloquially known as “runner’s knee” for the past two weeks, and despite trying to play through it, the injury has basically forced the team to shut him down. This is the fourth straight game Curry is missing, and there’s no immediate clarity on when he’ll actually return to full action.
The timeline is getting pushed back each day. Initially, everyone thought Curry might be good to go for the Grizzlies game. Then it became clear he’d sit out that matchup. Then Wednesday’s game against San Antonio got added to the “definitely not” list. The hope now is that he’ll return after the All-Star break on February 19 when the Warriors host the Boston Celtics at home. That’s more than two weeks of games he’s going to miss. For a player like Curry, who thrives on rhythm and consistency, that’s a significant stretch.
The injury essentially came out of nowhere and then wouldn’t leave
Two weeks ago, Curry was just doing an individual workout nothing explosive, nothing crazy, just a solo session working on his game. That’s when the knee issue flared up. He missed one game in Minnesota, then tried to gut it out the next two games, playing through obvious discomfort. That’s the Curry way he’s not the kind of guy who sits around complaining or asking for days off. He wants to play. He wants to compete. But sometimes your body doesn’t care what you want.
The final straw came against Detroit. Curry was out there trying to will the Warriors through the game, but in the third quarter, he limped to the locker room, and everyone watching knew it was serious. When Steph Curry is limping off the court, something is genuinely wrong. That’s when the Warriors organization realized they needed to pump the brakes and actually address what was happening with his knee rather than just hoping it would go away.
What Curry said reveals how frustrating this situation actually is for him
“It’s a matter of learning as I go what works rehab-wise,” he said. “Because it’s still painful. You have to try to get rid of all the inflammation and pain. It’s something we still have to monitor and injury-manage, but it’s something where, if I come back too early, it could flare up.” That’s the real catch-22 with knee injuries. You can try to push through them, and sometimes that works. Other times, you push too hard and end up making things worse.
The Warriors are clearly taking the cautious approach. They’re not rushing him back. They’re not trying to be heroes. They’re basically saying: we need you healthy for the playoffs, not playing in an All-Star Game in February. The All-Star Game doesn’t matter. Your long-term health does. It’s the smart play, even though it’s obviously frustrating for a guy like Curry who wants to compete in everything.
Curry won’t be alone in missing the All-Star showcase
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning league MVP, is also sitting out this weekend because of an abdominal injury. When two of the league’s best players are suddenly unavailable, it starts to paint a picture of how physically brutal this NBA season has been. The frequency of injuries, the severity of injuries, the way guys have to manage their bodies it’s all becoming more prominent as the season wears on.
The Warriors are crossing their fingers that the All-Star break gives Curry enough time to fully rehab and get himself right. If the knee responds well over the next couple of weeks, Boston will be in for a different team when the Warriors return. If it doesn’t? The Warriors might be looking at a more complicated situation heading into the stretch run and playoffs. For now, they’re just being patient and hoping that patience pays off.
