Just 10 healthy players on standard contracts are set to suit up for the Golden State Warriors tonight as they kick off their season against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena at 7:00 PM PT on ESPN. Yeah, you read that right: ten. It’s opening night, and Golden State already looks like they’ve gone a round in the playoffs.
The Warriors’ Injury Report Is Brutal For Opening Night
If you’re getting some serious deja vu tonight, you’re not alone. The Warriors are opening in the same building, against the same team, on the exact same date as last season. But here’s the kicker: there’s no LeBron James for the Lakers and certainly no Brandin Podziemski performance coming from the Warriors this time around. Podziemski, who played all 82 games last season, is already sitting out with lower back soreness. And that’s just the start of the nightmare.
Golden State spent the offseason refreshing medical updates like they were lottery numbers, and man, those numbers haven’t hit yet. Jimmy Butler is still working back from a torn ACL with a late January or early February target. Moses Moody is rehabbing a ruptured patellar tendon, and Kristaps Porzingis isn’t even traveling to LA, remaining out indefinitely. Then on the eve of the opener, Charles Bassey got tagged as questionable with right patellar tendinopathy. If he sits, that’s where we get to that terrifying number of just 10 healthy guys.
And let’s not even forget the huge scare around Steph. Our guy, 38 years old and stepping into his remarkable 18th season, caught his foot at open practice and limped off with a right ankle sprain. Thankfully, he practiced full Monday and is officially probable, so we can all breathe a little. But Dub Nation remembers last season: Curry played only 43 games, and the Warriors dropped 26 of the 39 he missed. The stakes are already through the roof for his health, and it’s literally Day One.
Luka and the Rebuilt Lakers Are Primed to Attack
While the Warriors were busy seeing doctors, the Lakers were going on a shopping spree for new talent. LA rebuilt the post-LeBron roster at full speed, bringing in nine new veterans. They handed Walker Kessler four years and $130 million to protect the rim and locked up Austin Reaves for four years and $180 million. Luka Doncic is the clear face of the Lakers’ franchise now, and he definitely has some serious firepower alongside him with Reaves. What’s even scarier for Golden State is Doncic’s career average against them: a staggering 30.7 points per game.
Tonight, Luka gets to aim that scoring prowess at a frontcourt consisting of Draymond Green, a minutes-managed Al Horford, Georges Niang, and maybe, just maybe, a big man with a sore knee if Bassey plays. This is not the strong, deep frontcourt you want to put up against a player like Doncic, especially with Draymond probably playing center full-time due to all the absences.
So, what are we even looking at tonight? The Warriors are trying to open their season while battling a full-blown injury crisis. The Lakers, meanwhile, are fired up with new talent and a superstar in Luka ready to exploit every single weakness. This isn’t just an opening game; it’s a massive test of grit for Golden State right out of the gate, and honestly, it feels like they’re already playing from behind.
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