Warriors Suffer Narrow Defeat to Rockets
In a tense matchup on Wednesday night, the Golden State Warriors faced a tough defeat at home, losing 104-100 to the Houston Rockets. The game took a worrying turn for the Warriors when their star player, Stephen Curry, exited in the game’s final minute due to a right quad contusion. The injury came amidst a series of physical plays in the fourth quarter, which left Curry visibly limping and in pain.
Curry’s Injury Update
Curry’s injury will be further assessed with an MRI, as confirmed by Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who expressed a slight sense of relief at the nature of the injury, stating,
“When I heard it was a quad, I was actually relieved. Better than an ankle or a knee.”
The incident that led to Curry’s exit included a stiff elbow from Rockets guard Amen Thompson while attempting to draw a charge, followed by a charge called against Curry just moments later, which Kerr unsuccessfully challenged.
Concerns for the Team’s Future
With less than a minute remaining and the Warriors trailing by five, Curry was seen discussing his condition with Rick Celebrini, the team’s head medical official. Celebrini signaled to the bench that Curry would not return for the remainder of the match, prompting both to head to the locker room, raising concerns about the team’s immediate future.
Kerr reflected on the potential implications of losing Curry, stating,
“If Steph has to miss [time], it obviously changes everything—our rotations, how we’re playing, who we are playing through. We’ll see.”
Team Performance and Defensive Shortcomings
This injury comes at a critical juncture for the Warriors, who have struggled recently, registering a .500 record of 10-10 after an impressive start to the season. Following the game, players Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green were outspoken about the team’s defensive shortcomings, which allowed Houston to exploit their size advantage—grabbing 25 offensive rebounds despite shooting poorly from the field.
“We don’t box out… It’s just sad,”
Butler lamented, while Green critiqued the team’s overall effort and mentality, discussing how defensive failures affect team morale and performance.
“If there’s letdown, it kills your demeanor, it kills your bravado. Then you’re just a soft team,”
he remarked.
Looking Ahead
Despite owning a respectable defensive rating of 112.2, ranking them 10th in the league, the Warriors’ overall performance has been lackluster on the offensive side, which Green noted is contributing to their struggles.
As the team looks forward, there is some positive news on the horizon: forward Jonathan Kuminga is reportedly nearing a return, having scrimmaged recently, with hopes to play in Saturday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans. However, the Warriors’ prospects hinge on Curry’s condition, with Butler emphasizing the need for exceptional performance in Curry’s absence, stating,
“We aren’t going to have the ultimate bailout on our team.”
