The Golden State Warriors’ postseason hopes received a big adrenaline boost today. It wasn’t just from that 125-117 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday. Severely shorthanded and on the ‘Kristaps Porzingis revenge tour,’ the Dubs’ road trip could end on a high note with Stephen Curry’s return. Head coach Steve Kerr sneakily dropped that tidbit in a recent conversation.

After speaking about testing Porzingis’ fit with Curry, the coach revealed that the sharpshooter’s recovery from a knee injury is “trending in the right direction.” The Dubs have operated without their franchise cornerstone for over three weeks due to a runner’s knee. The news has rarely been positive on that front until today.

“He’s ramped up his workouts,” Kerr told 95.7 The Game’s Willard & Dibs. “The reason he’s on the trip is because he now needs the extra bodies, people to play with, and we’ll be doing that over the course of this road trip over the next week, with the hopes that he’ll be able to scrimmage by the end of the trip.”

According to Kerr, if things go right, Curry could be suiting up for a potentially dramatic showdown against former Bay Area teammates Jonathan Kuminga or Klay Thompson.

The sparse and injury-ridden Warriors got major motivation at the bench with Curry in New York during his 38th birthday. Jimmy Butler also hopped on a plane to Washington as soon as he was cleared to fly.

While Butler said he’s not rushing his post-ACL surgery recovery, Curry’s been working out again. He’s due to be re-evaluated in a few days. While Kerr is optimistic, the team’s medical staff, led by Rick Celebrini, is maintaining a day-to-day approach to prevent setbacks for the veteran.

“[Rick Celebrini] He’s working with him every day,” Kerr added. “They went over to the arena when we got to Boston today for a workout, and we just keep hoping that things continue to progress.”

By Kerr’s optimistic timeline, Curry could play against Kuminga and the surging Atlanta Hawks or against Thompson’s struggling Dallas Mavericks.

Stephen Curry could return for a reunion

The Warriors are playing against all of Kristaps Porzingis’ former teams before the February 4 trade brought him to the Bay Area. The timing of Stephen Curry’s progress aligns with two of the most emotionally charged matchups on the Dubs’ 2026 calendar. They are scheduled to face the Atlanta Hawks this Saturday, March 21, marking a reunion with Jonathan Kuminga, who was traded in a whirlwind deal.

Curry has been sidelined with patellofemoral pain syndrome and a bone bruise, missing 18 consecutive games during which the Warriors have slipped lower and lower out of postseason contention.

If Curry is cleared to scrimmage by the end of the week, as Kerr hopes, the Atlanta game will be the first realistic circle on the calendar marking his comeback. Should the team opt for caution, the following matchup on Monday, March 23, against Klay Thompson and the Mavericks is an even bigger stage for the Splash Brothers reunion.

In Curry’s absence, Porzingis delivered a surge of confidence against the Wizards with a 30-point masterclass, leading them to an improbable win. While Kerr is confident in Porzingis, calling him “our guy,” the coach is also holding his breath to see if he fits into a Curry-led system. That also depends on the sharpshooter’s timely return, Porzingis’ unreliable availability, and/or the Warriors’ staying in play-in contention.

While the Dubs have struggled to stay afloat in the Western Conference play-in race without Curry and the injured Butler, the decision to bring the two-time MVP on the current road trip was a calculated move toward his final reintegration.

The team sheet list ahead of the Boston game, though, doesn’t look promising for Kerr. Both Curry brothers, Butler, Al Horford, and Moses Moody have been ruled out. LJ Cryer and Quinten Post are questionable, and Gary Payton II is probable.