Steve Kerr walked into the night with one firm plan: if Draymond Green suited up, there’d be no minutes limit, foot injury or not. What he didn’t expect was that the same “no restrictions” vibe would end up shadowing Stephen Curry too. The Warriors fought Houston tooth-and-nail but still slipped, 104-100. And if that loss didn’t make you sigh already, watching Curry head to the locker room in the fourth with an injury surely did.

Post-game, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr addressed the team’s next steps if Curry is sidelined, saying, “Well, it obviously changes uh everything, you know, our rotations. Um, you know, how we’re playing, who we’re playing through. Um, so, we’ll we’ll see. Um, you know, I’m actually, when I heard it was quad, I was actually kind of relieved. You know, better than an ankle or a knee. Um, so hopefully he can recover quickly and be okay, but um, we got to hold down the fort.”

Stephen Curry left the court in pain during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets after a hard collision with Amen Thompson under the basket with 3:24 remaining and the game tied at 91. Thompson had driven to the hoop, initially drawing an offensive foul call, but Houston challenged it, and the call was overturned to a block by Curry.

The play aggravated Curry’s right quad contusion, forcing him to exit and head straight to the locker room, with an MRI scheduled to assess the injury. The Warriors are set to play the New Orleans Pelicans at home on Saturday, but right now, it’s unclear if Curry will be able to take the court.

Despite the setback, Curry had fought through much of the game, scoring 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting, hitting just 2-of-9 from three, and adding seven rebounds, five assists, and two blocks in 33 minutes. He also committed seven turnovers, which contributed 22 points for Houston. 

Kerr acknowledged Curry’s struggle after the collision but leaned on his staff for confirmation, saying, “I always just rely on the training staff to tell me whatever I need to know. So, I saw… but I did see him limping.” Perhaps that hesitation added to fans’ frustration, as some placed blame on Kerr for the star’s injury.

Curry’s season has already faced several hurdles. An illness in early November sidelined him for three games, and when he returned, the Warriors eased him back in with a minutes restriction, gradually increasing his court time. 

He also missed the November 19 matchup against the Miami Heat due to a minor ankle issue, highlighting how carefully Golden State has been managing their star guard’s health. Even with these setbacks, Curry appeared in all three games leading up to the Rockets matchup, showing his determination and the “fire.”

Rockets shine vs Warriors despite missing stars

The Golden State Warriors started strong, racing out to a 14-point lead and hitting five straight shots early, including four from deep. Jimmy Butler led the early charge with a couple of threes, and Draymond Green helped close the half with a layup on a 16-5 run, giving the Warriors a 12-point halftime cushion. But the momentum shifted quickly in the third quarter as Houston outscored Golden State 27-17.

Even without Kevin Durant, Fred VanVleet, Tari Eason, Steven Adams, or Dorian Finney-Smith, the Houston Rockets showed depth and resilience. Reed Sheppard was the star of the night, scoring a career-high 31 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and dishing out five assists. 

The Rockets also dominated the offensive glass, snagging 25 rebounds and forcing turnovers that led to 22 points. Their late-game execution, including clutch free throws from Sheppard, allowed them to rally from a deficit. 

Wednesday marked the Warriors’ final group-stage game in the Emirates NBA Cup, and with Memphis defeating New Orleans earlier, Golden State’s chance to advance to the knockout round was already gone. The loss to Houston confirmed their exit (unless the point differential changes the game), leaving them to focus on upcoming regular-season games instead.