The Golden State Warriors‘ eight-game winning streak ended Wednesday night. A day later, they received far worse news.
Stephen Curry has been diagnosed with an abdominal tear after leaving the Warriors’ 115-108 loss to the Houston Rockets in the first quarter.
The Warriors announced Thursday that an MRI confirmed the injury and that their franchise cornerstone will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
The announcement leaves Golden State facing an extended stretch without its leading scorer, who had helped transform a 0-3 start into eight consecutive victories.
For coach Steve Kerr, the challenge now goes well beyond replacing Curry’s production.
Warriors Confirm Stephen Curry’s Injury Diagnosis
The examination confirmed an abdominal tear.
The team did not announce a return date, only that Curry would undergo another evaluation in two weeks.
That leaves his availability beyond that point uncertain.
Curry appeared to experience discomfort after making a 3-pointer midway through the opening quarter.
He grabbed his right side and grimaced while retreating on defense before approaching Kerr and heading toward the locker room.
The 38-year-old did not return, finishing with three points in fewer than six minutes.
Afterward, Kerr acknowledged his concern about the unusual injury.
“He said he tweaked something in his abdominal area and said he’s never done it before,” Kerr told reporters.
Asked how worried he was about Curry’s condition, Kerr offered a candid response.
“I mean, concern is high, but I have no idea the extent of the injury,” he said.
Thursday’s MRI results provided the answer the Warriors had been awaiting.
Golden State Faces Difficult Stretch Without Curry
The timing is especially difficult for Golden State.
Curry had appeared in 10 games this season, averaging 27.8 points, 3.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field and 45.7% from the 3-point range.
His scoring and efficiency helped the Warriors recover from a winless opening week.
Golden State entered Wednesday riding its longest winning streak since 2022 before Houston ended the run.
Even without Curry for most of the game, the Warriors remained competitive.
Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Brandin Podziemski added 22 points.
However, their efforts weren’t enough to overcome the Rockets, who improved to 9-3.
The Warriors also entered Wednesday without several rotation players, including Jimmy Butler III, Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Moody, Gary Payton II and Brandon Williams.
Curry’s injury adds another significant obstacle for Kerr as Golden State navigates its road trip.
The Warriors visit the San Antonio Spurs on Friday before facing the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday.
With Curry sidelined pending his next evaluation, Golden State will need more offense from Podziemski, Lendeborg and its remaining healthy players.
The bigger question is how quickly Curry can recover.
The Warriors have established a two-week checkpoint, but the timetable for his actual return remains unknown.
Warriors Reveal Concerning Stephen Curry MRI Results After Rockets Loss