The Golden State Warriors are gunning for their eighth straight win, looking to sweep the home stand tonight when they face old friend Jordan Poole and the New Orleans Pelicans at Chase Center. This isn’t just another game, though, as both teams are going to have their depth charts absolutely hammered thanks to a long list of key players out.
Warriors’ Perimeter Defense Takes a Hit
The Dubs are dealing with some serious blows themselves. Second-year guard Will Richard got some brutal news on Sunday, with a UCL tear in his non-shooting thumb. He was really settling into his own, having a brilliant week of play, so losing him for potentially a few weeks or even months is a tough pill to swallow. On top of that, Gary Payton II is also sidelined with left knee inflammation. With Richard and Payton out, the Warriors’ perimeter defense is going to be severely compromised tonight. Good thing, then, that they’re facing a Pelicans offense that’s been below average and also missing some huge pieces. The usual trio of Jimmy Butler III (right ACL repair surgery), Moses Moody (left patellar tendon repair surgery), and Kristaps Porziņģis (not with team) are out, as expected. Butler is making good progress, but those three are staples on the injury report until Porziņģis gets traded. On the bright side, Gui Santos is available to play, even if he’s still battling some left knee tendinitis.
Pelicans Missing *Everyone*
New Orleans is in an even tougher spot, with a massive chunk of their roster missing. Zion Williamson is out for rest, which isn’t a total shock given his career health issues and the fact the Pelicans played and traveled last night. It’s awesome to see him healthy, though, as he’d appeared in all 10 games before this one, averaging 33 minutes per night. But the hits keep coming: Trey Murphy III is out with bilateral patellar tendinopathy. The Warriors have reportedly had their eyes on a Murphy trade for a while, so while it’s bad news for their scouts hoping to watch him, it’s definitely good for their chances of winning tonight. Yves Missi, a third-year center who the Dubs have also been linked to as a potential replacement for the retiring Porziņģis, is out too. He hasn’t played since injuring his left knee (contusion/bone bruise) in the second game of the season. And if that wasn’t enough, Trendon Watford is sidelined with a right ankle sprain. He’s been a solid bench contributor in his first season with NOLA, so his absence will definitely shorten the bench tonight.
So, the Warriors are looking for that eighth straight W and a clean home stand sweep, but they’ll need to figure out that perimeter defense. The Pelicans are going to be severely tested trying to generate offense without some of their biggest names. It all tips off at 7:00 p.m. PT on NBA TV and NBC Sports Bay Area. Get ready for some high-stakes hoops!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Golden State of Mind.
Leave a Reply