Before the season began, some believed the Golden State Warriors had a talented roster that could contend in the Western Conference.
However, they’re now struggling through significant injuries to several of their top players and clinging to playoff hopes as they face the Los Angeles Lakers in a Saturday night showdown.
Last month, the team received devastating news when star Jimmy Butler suffered a right knee injury against the Miami Heat, which was later diagnosed as a season-ending ACL tear. Their longtime All-Star Stephen Curry has also been out recently with a knee injury.
While it’s not an ACL tear, Curry’s knee injury has kept him out of the lineup for several of his team’s recent games. He won’t participate in Saturday night’s game against LeBron James and the Lakers, and a recent update via Warriors head coach Steve Kerr raised some additional concerns about Curry’s return.
More news: Draymond Green Reveals What Warriors Told Him About Giannis Trade
On Saturday, SFStandard.com’s Danny Emerman reported that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said Curry is “doubtful” for the team’s game on Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies. However, the more concerning news is that Kerr also suggested there’s a “good chance” Curry will remain out until after the All-Star break.
The four-time NBA champion earned the 12th All-Star selection of his career this season. However, the recent update from Kerr suggests he may not participate in that, or at least Warriors fans hope he won’t risk further injury.
Curry is averaging 27.2 points on 46.8 percent shooting from the field, along with 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game for the Warriors. The team heads into Saturday night’s Lakers matchup clinging to third place in the Pacific Division with a 28-24 record.
In addition to the Curry news, Kerr also shed more light on the Warriors’ recent acquisition, Kristaps Porzingis, whom they acquired via trade from the Atlanta Hawks before Thursday’s deadline.
According to Underdog NBA, Kerr said Porzingis will not debut for the Warriors until after the All-Star break due to injury management.
Most likely, the team is simply exercising caution with both stars and not rushing their returns until they are ready to play. However, fans are already starting to ponder who will replace Curry in the All-Star Game.
Once both players are healthy, the Warriors could be a bit more of a force to contend with in the Western Conference. As of now, they’ll rely on other players to carry the pressure of trying to achieve wins without their top stars.
More news: LeBron James, Denzel Washington Lakers Pregame Moment Goes Viral
For more about the Golden State Warriors, head over to Newsweek Sports.