Curry Drops 29 in His Return and Nearly Steals It, but the Warriors Miss the Buzzer Beater

Stephen Curry is back, and Sunday night in San Francisco showed exactly what the Warriors have been missing. The two-time MVP put up 29 points in just 26 minutes against the Houston Rockets, pulling Golden State back from 10 down in the final five minutes and nearly delivering the heroic ending. But his 30-footer at the buzzer rimmed out long, and the Warriors fell 117-116 in a gut-punch finish nobody saw coming.

It was a loud statement in return after 27 games on the shelf. Kevin Durant, now playing for the Rockets, watched Curry line up that final shot and admitted the moment got to him. "Looked great when it left his hands," Durant said. "I was a little nervous seeing that ball in the air." That's the respect Curry commands in this league, even from an old rival.

A Rough Start, Then the Magic Happened

Curry started slow, which was understandable given the extended time away. He volunteered to come off the bench to manage his workload and subbed in for his brother Seth with 4:54 left in the first quarter, getting a standing ovation from the crowd. His first touch? A flailing miss and a travel violation. Not ideal.

But Curry knew what he was there to do. "First run was rough," he said postgame. "Second run was great." By the final six minutes of the second quarter, he found his groove, dropping seven points and settling into rhythm. In the third quarter, coach Steve Kerr unleashed him for the final 7:58, and Curry exploded for 11 points. Another 11 came in seven fourth-quarter minutes as he kept the Warriors fighting.

"I don't think there's a tougher defender in the league for him to have his first game against than Amen Thompson," Kerr said. "That's quite a test. Steph looked amazing."

Time Is Running Out, and the Warriors Know It

This loss stings because the calendar is brutal. Only four games remain in the regular season, and the Warriors are sitting at 36-42. They'll finish below .500 for the first time since 2019-20, and barring a miracle, they're locked into the 10th seed. That means a do-or-die elimination game next week in the play-in tournament against either the LA Clippers or Portland Trail Blazers. Win twice or go home.

Curry expects similar minutes Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings, though the brass is being cautious with his "runner's knee" an unpredictable injury that sidelined him more than two months after he thought it'd be 7-10 days. He's calling it his "new normal" but insists there are no structural issues and he doesn't feel compromised. Kerr says Curry will return to the starting lineup soon, but the team is taking its time.

"Got to be smart and do the right thing for the right reasons," Curry said. "All I'm looking forward to is Tuesday."

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.