Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry returned to the court after an injury — and for the first time since 2012, he entered the game for the NBA regular season match from his team's bench.
Curry is a four-time NBA champion, twice named NBA MVP, twice Finals MVP, and 12-time All-Star.
The 38-year-old basketball player has been out for two months after injuring his right knee, missing 27 games for the Golden State Warriors. Curry last played in a game on January 31, 2026, when his club lost to Detroit (124:131).
After recovering from the injury, Curry played in the NBA regular season game against the Houston Rockets, coming off the bench instead of starting as usual.
Curry was a substitute in a regular-season game for the first time since March 7, 2012. In the playoffs, the basketball player was last on the bench in Game 4 of the first round of the 2022 Western Conference, when his club won the NBA championship at the end of the season.
In 26 minutes on the court, Curry scored 29 points, making 11 of 21 shots. In particular, he had five successful three-pointers and six free throws. During this time, the basketball player also made two rebounds and four assists.
Curry was the Warriors' leading scorer in the game, trailing only Houston forward and former Golden State teammate Kevin Durant by two points.
“He's one of the most beloved players in the history of the league, and I think this long absence reminds everyone how lucky we were to see him, watch him, coach him, play with him,” the NBA quoted his club coach Steve Kerr as saying. “So it's a special night because we realize how lucky we were to have him.”
Curry has played in 40 games (39 starts) this season, averaging 27.3 points per game. Golden State currently sits in 10th place in the Western Conference, which qualifies them for the playoffs.