Steph Curry Injury: Warriors Star Out at Least Two Weeks With Oblique Tear

Stephen Curry will miss at least two weeks of the NBA season after an MRI confirmed an oblique abdominal tear, the Golden State Warriors announced on Thursday 12 November 2026. The 38-year-old guard suffered the injury early in the first quarter of Wednesday’s 115-108 defeat to the Houston Rockets, a loss that ended Golden State’s eight-game winning streak.

Steph Curry Injury — Quick Reference Summary

How Curry Was Hurt in Houston

Curry played just six minutes of Wednesday’s game at the Toyota Center in Houston before the injury struck. He had just drilled a three-pointer, his only points of the night, when he reached for his right side and walked to the locker room during a timeout. The Warriors ruled him out at the start of the second quarter with right abdominal soreness, and he left the arena for an MRI during the second half.

Head coach Steve Kerr made no attempt to hide the worry inside the camp after the 115-108 defeat. Kerr said Curry told him he had tweaked something in his abdominal area that he had never felt before, adding that the level of concern was high until the scan results came back. The defeat snapped Golden State’s eight-game winning streak, the club’s longest such run since 2022.

What the MRI Showed and the Timeline for a Return

The Warriors confirmed on Thursday that the MRI had revealed an oblique abdominal tear and that Curry would be re-evaluated in two weeks. NBC Sports Bay Area reported that Curry would be out until at least Thanksgiving, which falls on 26 November 2026. That official timeline may prove optimistic. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Golden State is preparing for Curry to be sidelined for closer to a month, with the team expecting him to miss a double-digit number of games.

Recent examples of NBA oblique injuries put the usual return-to-play window at around two to three weeks, according to NBC Sports. The gap between the club’s two-week re-evaluation and the reporting of a possible month out leaves the exact return date open, and the Warriors have said they will provide a further update after the re-evaluation.

A Warriors Surge Built Around Curry at 38

The injury interrupts one of the strongest stretches of Curry’s 18th NBA season. He has started all 10 games this season, averaging 27.8 points, 3.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds, and he scored 34, 29, 41 and 25 points in his four games before the Houston trip. The 12-time All-Star, four-time NBA champion and two-time Most Valuable Player was playing at an MVP-calibre level, according to USA Today.

Golden State’s record without Curry is a warning from recent history. The Warriors went 13-26 in the 39 games he missed in the 2025-26 season, when a knee issue limited him to 43 appearances. At 8-4, Golden State sits in a crowded Western Conference where a two-to-four-week slide can cost several places in the standings.

Who Carries the Load While Curry Sits Out

De’Anthony Melton is the most likely candidate for an expanded role after logging 25 minutes on Wednesday once Curry departed, and NBC Sports expects him to handle more of the backcourt work. The pressure will also fall on a roster already stretched thin. USA Today reported that the Warriors had issued no update on Jimmy Butler III’s status, while Moses Moody is also dealing with an injury and Kristaps Porzingis remains absent.

The schedule offers no breathing room. Curry will miss at least the next seven games, against the San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers. The first of those, Friday’s NBA Cup group game in San Antonio, comes against a Spurs side sitting at 10-2 on a 10-game winning streak, and both clubs are 1-0 in NBA Cup West Group C play.

What the Absence Costs Golden State

Friday’s game in San Antonio loses much of its billing without Curry, the NBA’s all-time three-point leader, facing the league’s hottest team. The NBA Cup group stage rewards early wins, and a defeat in Texas would hand the Spurs the inside track in Group C. Beyond one night, the cost is measured in standings ground. Golden State’s 13-26 record without Curry last season shows how quickly a winning position can slip when the offence loses its focal point.

The wider impact reaches the league’s broadcast and betting markets too. DraftKings confirmed that eligible Curry prop bets were covered by its Early Exit protection after he left Wednesday’s game, a reminder of how heavily the market leans on his availability. For the Warriors, the immediate task is simpler: survive the next fortnight, keep the record close to .500, and hope the re-evaluation brings better news than the reporting around a month-long absence suggests.

Steph Curry Injury — Frequently Asked Questions

What injury did Steph Curry suffer?

Curry suffered a right oblique abdominal tear, confirmed by an MRI after he left Wednesday’s game against the Houston Rockets. The Warriors announced the diagnosis on Thursday 12 November 2026.

How long will Steph Curry be out?

The Warriors said Curry will be out for at least two weeks and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the team is bracing for an absence closer to a month.

When did Curry get hurt?

Curry was hurt early in the first quarter of Wednesday 11 November 2026, with 6:25 remaining in the period, during the Warriors’ 115-108 loss to the Houston Rockets in Houston.

Who replaces Curry in the Warriors lineup?

De’Anthony Melton is expected to take on an expanded role after playing 25 minutes on Wednesday. The Warriors have issued no update on Jimmy Butler III’s status, so his availability is not publicly verified.

When could Curry return?

The earliest point is the two-week re-evaluation, around 26 November 2026. Any return depends on that check, and the reported possibility of a month out means a December return cannot be ruled out.