Stephen Curry’s strong start to the 2026-27 season had given the Golden State Warriors reason to believe they could contend and make a deep playoff run.

But an injury has interrupted that momentum, leaving the team without its biggest offensive weapon for weeks. Bill Simmons was particularly disappointed after recently buying into Golden State’s chances again.

Bill Simmons Reacts to Stephen Curry’s Oblique Abdominal Tear

Speaking on his podcast, Simmons shared his frustration after Curry suffered an oblique abdominal tear against the Housto Rockets. The NBA analyst had enjoyed watching the 38-year-old rediscover his best form and was beginning to believe in the Warriors.

“I just don’t understand why we can’t have nice things,” Simmons said. “He’s my favorite non-Boston athlete, right?”

He also explained how Curry’s performances had changed his view of Golden State. The Warriors had started the season 0-3, but an 8-game winning streak had helped them turn things around.

“He was rejuvenated on this Warriors team. The ceiling had been removed. And now they have this Houston game yesterday, and it’s like, (expletive), Houston’s going to be a tough matchup. They have all these guys. He gets hurt in five minutes,” the 57-year-old said dejectedly.

Simmons had initially been skeptical, but Curry’s form and the team’s improved performances convinced him to reconsider.

“I just talked myself into [it], we’re going to go another round with Steph… We’ve pulled him back out of storage and he’s Steph again, and now he’s hurt,” he added.

Curry made a 3-pointer with around 7:30 remaining in the first quarter against Houston on Wednesday, but immediately grabbed his right side and appeared to be in pain. He soon headed to the locker room and did not return, as the Warriors’ 8-game winning streak came to an end with a 115–108 loss to the Rockets.

An MRI confirmed an oblique abdominal tear. The Warriors announced that he would be re-evaluated in two weeks, while ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the team expects him to miss closer to a month.

The timing is particularly unfortunate because Curry had been playing some of his best basketball. He averaged 27.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.7 rebounds through his first 10 appearances, shooting 50% from the field and 45.7% from the 3-point range.

One reason Simmons had become more optimistic about the Warriors was the emergence of rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. The 11th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft has quickly become a reliable scoring option alongside Curry.

“Yaxel has a chance to be an All-Star. That’s how good he’s been. And I think he’s invigorated them. They didn’t even play Curry tonight, and they still won,” Simmons said on his podcast on November 1.

Lendeborg is averaging 21.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in his rookie year. He also scored 37 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on November 1, showing that he can carry a significant offensive load.

With Jimmy Butler also unavailable through injury, Lendeborg’s importance has increased. Curry’s absence will remove not only his scoring but also the shooting threat and playmaking that create opportunities for everyone else.

For Simmons, the injury is a frustrating interruption to a season that had made him believe in another Curry-led run. The rest of the Golden State squad now has to keep that momentum alive until its star can return.