Stephen Curry Oblique Injury Sidelines Warriors Star at Least Two Weeks - US News Pulse

The Golden State Warriors will be without Stephen Curry for at least two weeks after an MRI revealed a tear in the oblique muscle in his abdomen, the team announced on Thursday, November 12, 2026. Curry, the NBA’s all-time three-point leader and a two-time Most Valuable Player, will be re-evaluated in two weeks, but the Warriors are bracing for a longer absence, with ESPN reporting the team expects him to miss closer to a month. The injury, suffered just six minutes into Wednesday’s loss to the Houston Rockets, leaves Golden State without its engine — and without two other starters.

Key Points

• Stephen Curry suffered an oblique abdominal tear, the Warriors announced on Thursday, November 12, 2026, and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
• Curry will miss at least six games, starting with Friday’s NBA Cup game at San Antonio against the Spurs, chasing an 11th straight win.
• ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the Warriors are bracing for Curry to be out closer to a month, or two to four weeks.
• Coach Steve Kerr called the concern level “high” after the MRI revealed the tear, suffered six minutes into Wednesday’s 115-108 loss to Houston.
• Curry is averaging 27.8 points per game, and the Warriors, 8-4, are also without Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, both recovering from knee injuries.

What Happened

Curry left Wednesday’s game at Houston after six minutes, with 6:25 remaining in the first quarter, after grabbing at his side. He did not return as the Rockets ended Golden State’s eight-game winning streak with a 115-108 victory at Toyota Center. Coach Steve Kerr said after the game that Curry would undergo an MRI.

The MRI, taken after the team returned from Houston, revealed the tear in the oblique muscle on the side of Curry’s abdomen. The Warriors announced the diagnosis on Thursday, ruling him out for at least the next six games, the first of them Friday’s NBA Cup game at San Antonio. Charania reported that the Warriors expect a clearer sense of his recovery only after the two-week re-evaluation, and the team has given no return date.

Background and Context

Curry is in his 18th NBA season, all of them with the Warriors, and remains the centrepiece of everything Golden State does. He is the league’s all-time leader in three-pointers made, a two-time Most Valuable Player and a four-time champion, and at 38 he is still averaging 27.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.

The Warriors had won eight in a row before Wednesday’s defeat in Houston, a run that carried them to an 8-4 record. Butler and Moody are both recovering from knee injuries, leaving Golden State without three key players at once.

Stephen Curry Oblique Injury: What the MRI Showed

An oblique tear is an injury to the muscles along the side of the abdomen that help a player twist, turn and generate power on a shot. For a shooter of Curry’s style, built on constant movement, sharp cuts and quick-release jumpers off balance, the oblique is involved in almost everything he does. That is why teams treat even a modest tear with caution: a player who returns too soon risks turning a short absence into a season-long problem.

The Warriors have not disclosed the grade of the tear. The MRI confirmed a tear rather than a strain or simple soreness, which is why the team set a two-week re-evaluation, around November 26, rather than listing him as day to day. If the tear is healing well, Curry could begin ramping up then, with a return possible in the two-to-four-week window Charania reported. If progress is slower, the absence could stretch further.

Reactions and Quotes

Coach Steve Kerr did not hide the seriousness of the situation, calling the concern level “high” — a short, blunt assessment from a coach who has guided Curry through 18 seasons. Kerr has not yet said who will start in Curry’s place, and the team has not announced any further roster move.

Charania’s reporting that the Warriors are bracing for an absence closer to a month framed the news for the rest of the league. No other member of the Warriors’ coaching staff or front office has spoken publicly about the injury beyond the team’s announcement, and no player has been quoted on the diagnosis.

Why It Matters

Curry’s value goes beyond his 27.8 points per game. His shooting range bends defences like no other player in the league, opening driving lanes for his teammates and creating open looks that disappear the moment he leaves the floor. Golden State’s offence is designed around that gravity. Without him, the Warriors must play a slower, more conventional game, and the burden falls on players used to feeding off the space he creates.

The timing makes it harder: the games Curry will miss include an NBA Cup trip to San Antonio against a Spurs team riding a 10-game winning streak, and a poor stretch now could cost Golden State seeding ground that is difficult to recover. Curry is 38, and the Warriors’ championship hopes rest on keeping him healthy for the spring, so caution now protects the larger goal.

What Happens Next

Curry will miss at least six games, beginning with Friday’s NBA Cup game at San Antonio. The Warriors will re-evaluate him in two weeks, around November 26, when the medical staff will decide whether he can increase his workload or needs more rest. Until then, the rotation will be reshaped around Podziemski and rookie Lendeborg, while the team waits on Butler and Moody.

After San Antonio, the Warriors face a run of conference games that will test their depth. If the re-evaluation is positive, a return in two to four weeks remains possible. If it is not, Golden State will have to settle in for a longer stretch without its star.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is Stephen Curry out?
The Warriors say Curry will be re-evaluated in two weeks, and he will miss at least six games. ESPN reported the team is bracing for an absence closer to a month, or two to four weeks.

What is an oblique tear?
It is a tear in the oblique muscles along the side of the abdomen, used for twisting, turning and shooting. It is especially disruptive for a player like Curry, whose game depends on constant movement and off-balance jumpers.

When did Curry get hurt?
Curry left Wednesday’s 115-108 loss to Houston after only six minutes, with 6:25 left in the first quarter, after grabbing his side. An MRI taken afterwards revealed the tear.

Who will replace Curry in the Warriors lineup?
The Warriors have not named a replacement starter. Brandin Podziemski and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who scored 22 and 25 points respectively against Houston, are expected to take on larger roles while Curry is out.

Are other Warriors injured too?
Yes. Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are both recovering from knee injuries, so Golden State is without three key players at once.

Read more on US News Pulse: the Rockets’ 115-108 win over the Warriors in which Curry was hurt, the Warriors’ win over the Clippers without Curry, and Curry’s 41-point overtime win over the Magic.