Tonight, as the Golden State Warriors fell to the Orlando Magic, the Warriors looked like they were running on fumes. A 121-113 loss came during one of the grindiest parts of this road trip, and even Stephen Curry, the one constant delivering when needed, couldn’t hide the discomfort. When he addressed reporters postgame, it was clear something wasn’t right.

Earlier this season, Curry had been forced to sit out three games due to an illness and stayed home during that period, working on resolving the viral infection. Today, he said, “Still dealing with it (illness) a little bit. I feel like myself. I still got some little symptoms, and then a little sore ankle that was a couple of games ago, and a little bit tonight. But those are the things that you’re just trying to play through and trying to figure out how to continue to build momentum.”

Apart from his illness, he also spoke about the issues resulting from scheduling, something that head coach Steve Kerr has also pointed to at various points early this season. “We all know what the schedule’s been like, and Coach talked about it yesterday, and we try not to think about it too much, knowing it is what it is. You have to find a way to overcome it. We’ve done a decent job. We’ve let three games slide that we feel like we wish we would have, but we’re all right, right now.” During this early stretch, the Warriors have been scheduled to play 15 games in 26 days, with a significant portion on the road.

Then came the worst of the news. After being asked if he had tweaked his ankle against San Antonio, Curry replied simply: “Yeah.” Upon being asked about his status tomorrow in a follow-up, Curry explained, “We’re just looking at how that responds because I did it again first half tonight. I don’t think it’s anything crazy, but see how it responds to flight and how I feel tomorrow.”

Despite the issues he faced, Stephen Curry seemed dialed in for tonight’s game. He scored a game-high 34 points on solid efficiency, and even achieved an NBA milestone. After a pump-faked three from a Draymond Green hand-off pass, Curry moved into 22nd on the NBA’s all time scoring list, passing up Vince Carter. Next up for him is Timberwolves and Celtics legend Kevin Garnett, who is 322 points ahead currently. If Steph continues with his season average for points, he’s set to overtake KG in about 12 games.

Golden State Warriors HC Steve Kerr Sounds Alarm on NBA Injury Spike

Across the league, bodies have been slowing down: Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Giannis Antetokounmpo, all out on the same night. So when Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was asked about his take on it, he didn’t sugarcoat it. “I’m very concerned,” he said, citing a dramatic increase in pace in transition for the increased stress on players. He added, “Every team is spacing the floor to the three-point line, so defenders are having to cover 25, 26 feet every possession. It’s a lot of strain.” The game isn’t faster, but wider: and the players are paying for it.

Kerr says the numbers from team data rooms back up his claims. “Guys are running faster and further than ever before,” he explained, noting that the medical staff has been warning them about the mounting increase of mileage and speed, especially with the every-other-night schedule. He pointed out that the Warriors didn’t have a single practice during their eight-game trip. “Not one practice,” Kerr said, “We were just playing, recovering, and moving on. There’s no time to actually work.” Compared to earlier eras, the space to breathe has evaporated.

When a reporter asked if reducing the season was the answer, Kerr admitted: “I bring that up a lot… But cutting games means cutting revenue, and nobody in 2025 America is signing up for that.” He also added another statistic: the Warriors have played 17 games in 29 days across 13 cities. As more stars go down and injuries pile up, Kerr’s message lands heavier: it’s not just Stephen Curry, but a league-wide collision course.