When Stephen Curry is healthy, the Warriors have a more than solid shot at making the playoffs in the West. Golden State’s new additions seem to complement the two-time MVP well. This season, Curry is leading a revamped Warriors squad after the departure of Klay Thompson, his long-time Splash Brother, who now plays for the Dallas Mavericks. But the question remains. Can the Bay Area sharpshooter remain healthy given Steve Kerr and the staff’s erratic load management?

Stephen Curry missed three games because of a left ankle sprain but returned for the Warriors’ Nov. 4 game against the Washington Wizards. He had put up 24 points in the 125-112 win. However, the injury setbacks have begun, again.

Stephen Curry will sit out Wednesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of a knee injury, according to reporter Marc J. Spears. Before the game, head coach Steve Kerr shared an update, confirming Curry has “been banged up”. Spears also posted, “MRI yesterday was negative but there is tendinitis.” Looks like the Golden State Warriors will have to manage without their star point guard for now. He’s expected to return on Saturday against the Phoenix Suns.

The Warriors are off to a strong start, holding a 12-5 record in the West ahead of their game against Oklahoma City on Wednesday. It’s quite impressive, especially with Stephen Curry missing time. The 2x MVP has been putting up solid numbers—22.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.5 assists—while shooting 44.4% from deep this season.

Andrew Wiggins has really stepped up, averaging 17.5 points as a reliable second option in the offense. And let’s not forget Buddy Hield, who’s quickly made his mark with 15.5 points per game and a 41.3% shooting clip from three. In Curry’s absence, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski will need to rise to the occasion and help out in the backcourt.

With a record like that, it’s clear, this team is deeper than people might think.

Along with Stephen Curry, even the other Warriors look gassed out…

The Warriors have hit a rough patch. After blowing big leads to both the Nets and Spurs, their defensive intensity has taken a dive. It’s like they’ve lost their spark. Kerr said it best: “We had a lot more energy a couple of weeks ago.” And honestly, it’s hard not to agree—this team just isn’t finishing games the way they used to. They’ve been outscored 74-41 in the fourth quarters of the last two games. That’s not championship-level basketball.

Remember when the Warriors were rolling earlier in the season? They had that 8-1 stretch, beating top contenders like the Thunder and Celtics. Curry was clutch, the defense was clicking, and it seemed like they were primed for another deep run. Fast forward to now, though, and they’ve been leaning heavily on Stephen Curry to bail them out, but the magic hasn’t been there.

And now, the tough part begins. The Warriors’ next few games are no joke. The Thunder just passed them for the top spot in the West, and up next are MVP-caliber guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Kevin Durant. It’s a brutal stretch, with the Nuggets, Rockets, and Timberwolves also on the horizon. If you’ve been watching, you know the Warriors typically handle sub-.500 teams, but the road ahead presents a different animal.

Kerr is hoping the team can turn things around with more practice time. They had a hard session on Tuesday, and another one is set for Friday. But honestly, we’ll see if they can rediscover that edge. If they can’t? Well, things could get a little scary before the holidays.