The Golden State Warriors are hosting the Phoenix Suns tonight, and if you are expecting a full-strength Dubs squad, think again. Not only did the Suns get the better of Golden State just a week ago, but tonight, the Warriors are rolling out a lineup missing some serious firepower, highlighted by Brandon Williams sidelined after arguably his best performance in a Warriors uniform.
Spark Plug Out After Career Night
This one stings. Brandon Williams, who was absolutely electric in Sunday’s win against the LA Clippers, is officially out for tonight’s game with a left quadriceps contusion. The guy was on fire, dropping 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting, and dishing out three assists. It was his best game yet in a Warriors jersey, a real spark plug for the offense. Now, he is stuck on the sidelines. Talk about a brutal blow after such a breakout performance. We are all hoping those back-to-back days off after this contest are enough to get Williams back on the court for Thursday.
He isn’t the only one missing, either. Gui Santos is also sidelined again with left knee tendinitis. This isn’t new; he has been on the injury report for a few games. He tried to play on Sunday, but he was clearly compromised and couldn’t even finish the game. The team is wisely having him take a step back and focus on getting healthy. We will see if he is available for Thursday or if he needs a longer stint to fully recover.
Then there is Al Horford, who is out with bilateral low back injury management. No surprises there, though. We knew he would be sitting out tonight since he never plays in back-to-backs to preserve his health, and he was definitely on the court on Sunday.
Suns Also Banged Up, But Still Dangerous
While Golden State is dealing with key absences, the Suns are not completely unscathed themselves. They are missing Mark Williams, who had left shoulder surgery back in September. Williams was awesome in his first season with Phoenix last year, and they are definitely feeling his absence in terms of interior scoring and rebounding. He is a long way from returning, which means the Suns are also playing without some important pieces.
Still, with the Warriors missing their newly-emerged offensive spark and others, tonight’s rematch is going to be a tough battle. Can the Dubs overcome these early-season injury woes to even the score against a familiar foe? We will find out. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. PT from the Chase Center, and you can catch all the action on NBC Sports Bay Area. Let’s hope for a strong fight from the remaining squad!
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.
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