The Golden State Warriors are one win away from clinching a playoff spot. But just before their biggest game of the season, a major concern looms: Stephen Curry’s health.
Curry sprained his right thumb in the first quarter of Golden State’s recent win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The injury happened when his hand hit Portland’s Justin Minaya. Curry briefly left the game but returned with tape on his hand and finished the contest.
Afterward, Curry admitted the thumb was bothering him.
“It hurts right now, but I’ll be alright,” he said. While the injury affected his shooting “a little bit,” he sounded confident it wouldn’t keep him out for long. “I’m ready to play Game 82 on Sunday,” he added.
Steph Curry said the thumb injury impacted his shooting “a little bit” because it was “fresh pain” but doesn’t think it’ll “last too long.”
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 12, 2025
“It hurts right now but I’ll be alright.”
He said he will play on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/INX2IS8rYS
Still, the Warriors listed Curry as questionable for Sunday’s showdown with the Clippers.
Steph Curry is officially listed as questionable with a right thumb sprain. Clippers only have Nic Batum (groin) and Patty Mills (illness) as out on injury report. https://t.co/2o8HEpbuYU
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) April 13, 2025
The stakes? Massive. A win locks up a top-six seed in the Western Conference and avoids the play-in tournament. While sixth place is the likeliest outcome, other results could push Golden State even higher.
The Clippers won nine of their last 10 games, making Sunday’s matchup a serious test, especially if Curry is limited or unavailable. The Warriors know it’ll take a full-team effort to get the job done.
Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. PT) at Chase Center, airing live on ESPN.
Playoff pathways and the weight of Stephen Curry’s presence for Golden State
A win over the Clippers locks in the No. 6 seed and a guaranteed playoff spot. A loss? It likely drops them to seventh, pushing them into the play-in tournament – a much riskier path.
At 48-33, Golden State can’t finish higher than sixth or lower than seventh. So Sunday’s game is everything. Beat the Clippers, and they avoid the play-in entirely. Lose, and they’ll probably face Memphis in a home play-in matchup. If they stumble there, it gets worse, another must-win against the Kings or Mavericks just to grab the eighth seed.
He studied the legend, then became one himself.
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 7, 2025
Stephen Curry has officially surpassed Reggie Miller on the all-time scoring list 👏 pic.twitter.com/ATXf1gHqXj
That pressure makes Stephen Curry’s availability massive. He’s averaged 24.4 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.4 rebounds this season, consistently anchoring the Warriors’ offense. Against the Clippers this year, he’s put up 22.0 points and 6.0 assists, hitting 45.5% from three.
If Curry doesn’t suit up, the Clippers instantly gain the edge. The Warriors are weighing that “tough decision,” but signs point to him playing.
Either way, Golden State knows it will need Curry for any kind of playoff run. That makes Sunday’s game – and his presence – absolutely critical.
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