It’s win or go home for the Golden State Warriors (37-45) tonight, and they nearly took a blow before tip-off that jeopardized their chances against the Suns (45-37).
During pre-game warmups in the Mortgage Matchup Center, concern was rising among the fans after sharpshooting center Kristaps Porzingis was spotted limping on the court. Something was clearly wrong with his ankle, and there were fears he would be a late scratch for this pivotal game.
Kristaps Porzingis going through a pregame warmup in Phoenix trying to loosen up that right ankle pic.twitter.com/LHWT09jtVW
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 18, 2026
He was questionable before the game due to an ankle issue, and it’s clear from the video what kind of pain he was in. The clip shows Kristaps testing his ankle with pressure and movement to determine if he was fit to play. Fortunately, he was soon given full clearance, much to the delight of his fans and teammates.
“Kristaps Porzingis is officially available for the Warriors tonight,” wrote Slater on X. “Right ankle was clearly bothering him during warmup. He chatted with Rick Celebrini afterward. But he is against the Suns in an elimination game.”
The Warriors need all hands on deck tonight to beat the odds against a stacked Suns squad. After losing their play-in game to the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, they’ll be looking to avoid premature elimination tonight. That means we can expect maximum intensity from Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Jalen Green. In a lucky break for the Warriors, the Suns will be without their starting center Mark Williams, who has been a solid rim protector for them.
Conversely, the Dubs have been banged up all year, with injuries to almost all of their core players, including Stephen Curry. He missed over 20 games due to a knee injury and returned just in time to give the Warriors one last chance to make the playoffs. His play will ultimately be the biggest factor in this series, with season averages of 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game on 46.8% shooting and 39.3% shooting from three.
Kristaps only just recently joined the team, but he’s already made a strong impression in the frontcourt with averages of 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game on 43.3% shooting and 31.1% shooting from three. After bouncing around to multiple different teams over the years, he has seemingly found his match, and he’s eager to help them make a run. In the game against the Clippers this week, Porzingis played a crucial role in the win, delivering 20 points, five rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two blocks per game on 8-12 shooting from the field and 3-6 shooting from three.
Tonight, after receiving full clearance, the Warriors will once again look to KP for essential offensive support. For a Warriors team that’s so limited on depth, they need Porzingis’ presence and shot-making ability to provide that crucial floor spacing. Alongside Stephen Curry, it creates a steady stream of scoring that allows the Warriors to keep up with anyone.
In the end, the Warriors narrowly avoided disaster today, but it really just shows how fragile their situation is. At this stage, just one injury could derail their entire playoff hopes and mark the end of another wasted season of Curry’s greatness. No matter how far they get this postseason, the Warriors will have to make a concerted effort to improve the roster and get Steph the support he deserves.
