Warriors get needed lift as Stephen Curry shines in return against Rockets 

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry returned Sunday after missing 27 games because of a right knee injury. That brought renewed optimism to the Bay Area. 

Curry was sensational in his return against the Houston Rockets (49-29), scoring 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting from the field (including five three-pointers) in 26 minutes. The only thing that could've made it even better was if the sharpshooting guard had made a winning shot.

On the game's final play, Curry fired a 30-foot three-pointer on a step back, but the ball hit the back of the rim, giving Houston a 117-116 win. Rockets forward Kevin Durant seemed surprised the Warriors star missed the shot. 

Kevin Durant, Warriors HC Steve Kerr discuss Stephen Curry's return

"Looked great when it left his hands," Durant said of the shot, per ESPN's Anthony Slater. "I was a little nervous seeing that ball in the air." 

Durant was also worried when Curry spurred a Golden State comeback in the fourth quarter. The Warriors outscored the Rockets 34-25 during that time.

"We had the game in control," Durant said in a postgame interview with NBC (h/t The Athletic's Marcus Thompson II). "Then they put No. 30 in the game, and he got him back into it so easily. ...He looked incredible after a couple of months off."