The Golden State Warriors have gone 92-154 in the Steph Curry era when the sharpshooter has been sidelined. Entering Sunday’s contest against the Indiana Pacers, they were 1-9 in their previous 10 games without Curry, not having won a game since a victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2024-25 season.
In a surprising turn of events, the Curry-less Warriors blew out the Pacers, 114-83, to snap their two-game losing streak and improve to 6-5 in the 2025-26 season. As a result, they created an incredible piece of history, according to ESPN Insights.
“The Warriors’ 31-point win vs. the Pacers (114-83) is the team’s largest victory in a game without Steph Curry since he entered the NBA in 2009-10,” read the X account.
Warriors Bolstered By Butler Return
Although Steph Curry (illness) sat out a third consecutive game, the Warriors received a significant shot in the arm over the weekend in the form of Jimmy Butler III’s return. The veteran swingman missed two games last week due to lower back spasms and looked sluggish in his return during a 129-104 blowout loss to the Denver Nuggets.
In Sunday’s game, Butler proved why the Warriors paid a premium to acquire him at last season’s trade deadline. The 36-year-old posted 21 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block, while finishing a +19 on the floor.
With Curry expected back for Tuesday’s blockbuster clash against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning NBA champions, the Warriors will be whole for the first time in the 2025-26 season, after earlier injuries to Moses Moody and Butler.
Warriors Finally Getting Healthy
Another positive piece of news coming out of Sunday’s win is Al Horford’s production of 12 points, four rebounds and three blocks in just 18 minutes of action. The NBA champion has been unable to play back-to-back games, and his production hasn’t been nearly as good as it was in his last two seasons with the Boston Celtics.
NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson explained why Horford’s performance was a huge plus for the Warriors in the win over the Pacers.
“Al Horford had his best game with the Warriors,” wrote the Warriors beat writer. “The 39-year-old center hadn’t made a three in the first week-plus of November, going 0 of 7 in his last game and 0 of 2 in the Warriors’ loss to the Pacers to open the month. Sunday night against the same team, Horford finally found a rhythm.
“He missed his first attempt but made his final four of five, scoring 12 points – all threes – in 18 minutes off the bench. Horford also had four rebounds and blocked three shots.”
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