The Golden State Warriors’ tightrope walk was on the verge of snapping on Friday night. While teams are strategically benching starters for playoff positioning, the Dubs went all-in against the Sacramento Kings, bringing back Stephen Curry and Kristaps Porzingis after a day of rest. But things went sideways in the first half. All of 2026, Warriors fans have been watching their stars go down tragically. Tonight, too, as they saw Steph limp to the bench, fans worried about the team’s postseason aspirations.

In a chaotic defensive sequence during the second quarter, Curry twisted up during a steal attempt from Kings’ Devin Carter. A picture captured the moment in painful detail when Curry’s outstretched leg bent inwards at the ankle. On-court microphones and cameras captured the 38-year-old in visible discomfort. He limped to the bench as the arena watched.

According to reports from the arena, he immediately sought out Vice President of Player Health and Performance Rick Celebrini and head coach Steve Kerr during a timeout. “Slumped into his seat, head back,” was the description from courtside observers as Curry appeared to be assessing a right leg that had already cost him 27 games this season.

Despite the grim look, Stephen Curry’s competitive drive won out. He remained in the game, choosing to play through the pain. He’s played 22 minutes so far and has eight points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals. It’s a sharp contrast to the 29-point outing against the Rockets last week. So there might be some cause for concern.

Stephen Curry’s situation is the ‘new normal’ for Warriors

With the Play-In tournament looming, the decision to push through what appears to be an ugly ankle injury right after rehabbing a runner’s knee has many wondering whether Golden State is risking Curry’s availability when it matters most. Just before the game ended, Steph Curry went to the locker room with his bodyguard, Yusef, and didn’t return. He had played 27 minutes by then and had 11 points.

After a tug of war, it was the Kings who emerged victorious with a 124-118 victory while the Warriors’ rotation was depleted by the end of the game. Draymond Green wasn’t on the bench at the end of the game either. Steve Kerr pulled out the veterans in the closing minutes to prioritize their health and minutes.

It looks like Kerr will be relying on these tactics a lot in the future. It is particularly cruel, given that Curry is still in a phase of ramping up his return to the court after being sidelined since January 30.

Before his return against Houston on April 5, Curry was remarkably candid about the state of his right knee, describing a reality that no longer includes a “zero-pain” day. “There’s nothing structurally wrong with my knee,” Curry explained in an interview. “It is a new normal, though, if that makes sense.”

In the time Curry has been unavailable, Warriors fans have seen Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody, and, yesterday, LJ Cryer suffer horrifying injuries on the court. They’re really sensitive to these scenes right now. The injury to LJ Cryer on Thursday had already depleted the backcourt, and seeing Curry limp puts pressure on the skeleton crew.

Critics are already arguing that by staying in the game after the Devin Carter steal, Curry is risking turning a minor tweak into a season-ending catastrophe, especially given his history of setbacks during this year’s rehab process.