Curry, Butler, Green Out as Warriors Face Heat/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler will miss the Golden State Warriors’ road trip finale against the Miami Heat. Curry is nursing ankle soreness, while Green and Butler are sidelined by illness and back issues. The game caps a grueling six-game trip for Golden State, their 17th contest in 30 days.
Warriors Injury Update Quick Looks
- Stephen Curry ruled out with right ankle soreness.
- Jimmy Butler (back) misses second Miami game since trade.
- Draymond Green sidelined due to illness.
- Jonathan Kuminga and Al Horford also inactive.
- Warriors finish six-game, nine-day road trip in Miami.
- Wednesday marks Golden State’s 17th game in 30 days.
- Coach Steve Kerr emphasizes lack of rest, no practice time.
- Golden State opens a five-game homestand on Friday.
Deep Look
Warriors Rest Curry, Green; Butler Also Out as Golden State Wraps Grueling Road Trip in Miami
The Golden State Warriors will be without several key players — including Stephen Curry and Draymond Green — as they conclude a demanding six-game road trip with a matchup against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. In a surprising twist, Jimmy Butler will also sit out what would have been only his second return to Miami since his offseason trade.
Curry, the NBA’s all-time three-point leader, is being sidelined due to right ankle soreness that he aggravated twice during this road swing — once in San Antonio last Friday and again in Orlando on Tuesday. He played through both games, but the team opted to give him rest ahead of their return to the Bay Area.
Green, meanwhile, is out with an illness, while Jonathan Kuminga (knee tendinitis) and veteran Al Horford (left toe management) are also missing from the Warriors lineup. For Miami, Butler remains out with a back injury, further disappointing fans hoping to see his return. Buddy Hield, previously questionable due to illness, was cleared to play.
Golden State entered Wednesday’s game with a 3–2 record on the trip and looking to finish strong despite the absence of multiple core players. The contest marks the Warriors’ 17th game in just 30 days to start the season — a league-high — and their 12th road game, more than any other NBA team.
Kerr Calls Out NBA Scheduling: “No Practice, No Recovery”
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr didn’t hide his frustrations about the intensity of the NBA schedule during the team’s lengthy trip. Speaking after Tuesday’s loss in Orlando, both he and Curry acknowledged the physical toll of playing nearly every other night without a single practice day.
“We literally have not had a single practice on this road trip, not one,” Kerr said. “We’ve been gone eight days. It’s just game, game, game.”
Kerr has long been a vocal advocate for reducing the NBA regular season from 82 to 72 games. While he praised the league for removing the old four-games-in-five-nights scenario, he pointed out that the current format still burdens players with cumulative fatigue.
“There’s no recovery time, and there’s no practice time. The wear and tear is still there because of the frequency and pace of games,” Kerr explained. “If we’re focused on the quality of the product, more rest and fewer games would be ideal.”
Curry Echoes Concerns About Load and Rhythm
Curry echoed his coach’s sentiments. “We all know what the schedule’s been like,” he said postgame in Orlando. “You have to find a way to overcome it. We let a couple games slip, but overall we’re hanging in there.”
Despite managing injuries and fatigue, the Warriors have remained competitive. Their six-game trip — including stops in Denver, Houston, San Antonio, Charlotte, Orlando, and now Miami — has tested their depth and resilience.
Looking Ahead: Five-Game Homestand Begins Friday
Following the matchup in Miami, Golden State will return home to begin a five-game homestand starting Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers. The team is optimistic that Curry, Green, Horford, and possibly Butler — in Miami’s case — could be available by then. All players are currently listed as day-to-day.
The home stretch should offer some much-needed rest, reduced travel, and potential practice opportunities for the Warriors, who are trying to regain consistency and maintain health as they push deeper into the season.
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