Steph Curry returns tonight after 27-game absence.

Stephen Curry is officially back. The 38-year-old has been cleared to play tonight when the Warriors host the Houston Rockets, ending a 27-game absence that gutted Golden State's season.

Curry has been out since January 30 with patellofemoral pain syndrome and a bone bruise in his knee. Without him, the Warriors cratered to 13-25 and fell to 10th in the West — barely clinging to play-in positioning. This is the longest Curry has been sidelined since his ankle injuries early in his career.

Tonight's matchup is enormous. Houston is fighting for seeding in the West, and the Warriors desperately need Curry to recapture some momentum before the play-in tournament. Even on a minutes restriction, Curry changes everything about Golden State's offense. The question is whether 27 games of rust will show against a Rockets team that's been one of the best in the league all year.