On the verge of a critical California clash this weekend, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr provided some important updates on the availability of his players. After being short-handed for multiple games, they are lined up to get some guys back in time to defend their home floor against LeBron James and Luka Doncic. In a post on X, insider Nick Friedell dropped the details.
“Kerr said Porzingis went through Friday’s practice. He’s feeling better. He is questionable for Saturday’s game vs. Lakers,” wrote Friedell. “Draymond went through Friday’s practice, and Kerr expects him to play vs. Lakers.”
At 2-2 over their last four games, the Warriors need to pick up some wins if they want to move up in the standings and avoid the play-in tournament. As much as role-players like Gui Santos and Brandin Podziemski have helped them, Golden State needs its core players back to make any noise in the Western Conference.
Fortunately for them, Kristaps Porzingis is only marked as questionable, so he’s likely to play for them as he recovers from illness. The 30-year-old big man has been limited to just one game for the Warriors, but hope remains that he can help them reach another level in the West. Through 18 games this season, he’s averaging 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game on 46.1% shooting and 36.3% shooting from three.
The situation with Draymond Green is much more tentative. He’s currently listed as day-to-day with a back injury, meaning his return depends mostly on how quickly the pain subsides. He was a late scratch for Thursday’s game, and his availability remains uncertain, but Kerr is confident that he’ll be ready to face the Lakers tomorrow. While he has regressed this season (averages of 8.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 41.0% shooting and 32.0% shooting from three), his stabilizing presence opens up a lot of opportunities for the team.
Of course, the biggest obstacle for the Warriors right now is Curry’s continued absence. He remains sidelined with patellofemoral pain syndrome, leaving his status in doubt for the foreseeable future. Kerr promised an update on Saturday, but there’s no way to tell right now when we can expect the two-time MVP back in action.
Of course, these injuries are in addition to Jimmy Butler’s injury. After suffering a season-ending ACL tear in January, he’s been in recovery ever since and is not expected back until at least early next season. Between his status and the injuries to Curry, Porzingis, and Green, the Warriors are facing some major adversity in the second half of this season, and how they respond could very well determine how far they get in the upcoming playoffs.
