The Golden State Warriors will continue to bring Stephen Curry off the bench and limit his minutes as he works back from a prolonged knee injury, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater.
Curry is expected to play around 26 minutes again Tuesday night against the Sacramento Kings, a similar workload to his return performance after a 27-game absence.
“From what I’ve heard, it’s going to be around that again — 26, maybe stretched a little bit,” Slater said on NBA Today. “Which probably means he’s coming off the bench again, because they want him to close every quarter.”
The approach reflects the Warriors’ effort to balance Curry’s impact with caution as the regular season winds down.
Warriors Managing Stephen Curry’s Minutes After Knee Injury
GettyStephen Curry reacts during his return for the Golden State Warriors after a 27-game absence due to a knee injury.
Curry returned Sunday against the Houston Rockets and immediately delivered, scoring 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting, including 5-of-10 from three-point range, in 26 minutes.
Despite the strong showing, Golden State remains committed to a controlled ramp-up.
Slater noted that Curry’s usage will continue to be carefully monitored by the team’s medical staff, including Vice President of Player Health and Performance Rick Celebrini.
“If he’s able to close out the game and they’ve got to stretch it a couple of minutes, Rick will give the nod,” Slater said. “But the plan is around that same range.”
The goal is to keep Curry effective late in games while avoiding setbacks related to his “runner’s knee,” a condition characterized by pain and swelling but no structural damage.
Bench Role Key to Stephen Curry’s Rotation Strategy
GettyStephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors lays up a shot against Jae’Sean Tate of the Houston Rockets in the second quarter at Chase Center on April 05, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
Curry’s continued role off the bench is part of a broader strategy to manage his minutes across each quarter.
Rather than starting, the Warriors are staggering his time on the floor so he can anchor closing stretches.
The approach allows Golden State to maximize Curry’s presence in key moments while maintaining flexibility in how his minutes are distributed.
Slater added that Curry’s return performance offered encouraging signs.
“He came out of it feeling good, knee-wise, and he looked excellent,” Slater said. “That looked like the All-NBA version of Steph Curry.”
Condensed Schedule Creates Urgency for Warriors
The Warriors face a challenging stretch, with four games in six nights in the final week of the regular season.
That schedule complicates Curry’s ramp-up, as Golden State is expected to rest him in at least one game during a back-to-back set later in the week.
“There’s just not a lot of time to get his minutes up and his rhythm with this team back,” Slater said.
Golden State is also managing lineup combinations, with limited time for Curry to build chemistry alongside key teammates returning from injury.
Warriors Playoff Scenario With Stephen Curry’s Return
The Warriors enter Tuesday’s game at 36-42, positioning them near the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference and in line for a play-in tournament spot.
Golden State has four games remaining and is likely to face a do-or-die scenario, needing to win twice on the road to advance into the playoffs.
The team went 13-25 without Curry this season, underscoring his importance even with a minutes restriction in place.
Stephen Curry’s Return Still Changes Warriors Outlook
Even in a limited role, Curry’s presence has already shifted the Warriors’ trajectory.
His ability to close quarters and impact late-game situations provides a boost for a team trying to regain rhythm before the postseason.
“You can just feel it,” coach Steve Kerr said after Curry’s return. “We’re back in the mix. We’re back in the fight with Steph. … He changes everything.”
With a tight timeline and limited margin for error, the Warriors will continue to manage Curry’s workload carefully — even as they rely on him to lead them through a critical stretch of the season.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Golden State Warriors Make Stephen Curry Decision as Time Runs Short Before Sacramento Kings Game appeared first on Heavy Sports.