The Golden State Warriors head to Cleveland on Saturday night with one of the league’s ugliest injury reports. What should have been a marquee matchup against the Cavaliers now looks like a survival test, with multiple Warriors starters and key rotation players either ruled out or carrying questionable tags going into the game.
Stephen Curry (quadriceps) remains out and will miss at least three more games, according to Steve Kerr’s update earlier this week. The Warriors’ franchise star has already been sidelined since the loss to the Thunder, and Golden State will once again have to navigate a full 48 minutes without the player who drives most of their scoring and shot creation.
Up front, Al Horford (back) has been ruled out for Saturday’s game due to right sciatic nerve irritation. Horford’s absence removes an important floor-spacing big and veteran defender from the lineup, leaving the Warriors thinner in the frontcourt just as they prepare to deal with Cleveland’s size inside. Rookie forward Alex Toohey (knee) is also out and will not play, further cutting into Golden State’s depth at the forward spots.
The rest of the report is filled with critical “day-to-day” tags. Draymond Green (foot) is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game in Cleveland. If he can’t go, the Warriors lose their emotional leader, primary defensive organizer, and secondary playmaker all at once. Even if he suits up, any limitation in his mobility would significantly impact how aggressively Golden State can switch and pressure the ball.
Jimmy Butler III (knee) is also questionable. He’s been one of the Warriors’ most important scoring options this season on the wing, and his ability to attack mismatches, rebound, and defend larger forwards has been key when Golden State plays small. A late scratch would force Kerr to lean heavily on younger wings and bench pieces in a matchup where experience usually matters.
In the backcourt, Seth Curry (toe) is questionable after picking up the injury this week after his season debut. His shooting will be a vital weapon for the Warriors’ second unit, and his ability to space the floor becomes even more important with Stephen already out. De’Anthony Melton (left knee injury management) is also questionable, coming from his return game in Philadelphia after a season away. Melton’s defensive versatility and spot-up shooting can help stabilize lineups that don’t feature Curry, and losing him on top of everything else would severely hurt Golden State’s perimeter defense.
All told, the Warriors could be missing anywhere from three to seven rotation players depending on how the questionable tags break closer to tipoff. Curry, Horford, and Toohey are confirmed absences; Green, Butler, Seth Curry, and Melton will all be monitored throughout the day. For a team already leaning heavily on role players and young guards to cover for Curry’s scoring, that is a brutal amount of uncertainty heading into a road game.
Cleveland, meanwhile, has its own injury concerns, with Darius Garland (toe), Tyrese Proctor (personal), Sam Merrill (hand), Max Strus (foot), Jarrett Allen (finger), and Larry Nance Jr. (right calf) all recently listed on the report, but the Cavaliers are still expected to have more of their core available than Golden State.
Given the sheer volume of Warriors players either out or at risk of missing the game, the Cavaliers should enter as favorites at home. If even one or two of Green, Butler, Seth Curry, or Melton are ruled out, Golden State’s margin for error shrinks to almost nothing. Unless the Warriors’ role players produce a near-perfect performance, the smart prediction is the Cavaliers taking advantage of a severely shorthanded opponent and securing the win.
