Four Games by Monday Will Show Whether Denver Was a Rotation or a Night
Golden State found a shape in Denver built on its starters, and four games between Wednesday and Monday will test whether that shape has enough bodies behind it.
The Warriors open the week at Minnesota on one day of rest, then host the Lakers, Clippers and Suns, the last two on consecutive nights. Porzingis, Butler and Moody remain out, so Steve Kerr has to find minutes without breaking what worked against the Nuggets.
What Denver actually proved
The starters carried the 134-114 win, scoring 89 of the 134 points. Yaxel Lendeborg had 31 with 12 rebounds, Stephen Curry went 8-for-8 in 27 minutes, and Brandin Podziemski finished +33. Gui Santos, newly cleared, added 13 on 5-of-6 shooting. The reserves were the soft spot, with Georges Niang at -8 and Gary Payton II at -7. That plan works for one night. Over four games by Monday, it looks thin.
Minnesota first, on short rest
Wednesday's game in Minneapolis is the second straight road game, after three games in the previous seven days. The Timberwolves also have one day of rest but have played only twice in that span. Minnesota is 3-1 with a defensive rating of 100.5, against Golden State's 121.1, and ESPN noted that Anthony Edwards is coming off a 47-point game. Rudy Gobert is averaging 14.3 rebounds, and Lendeborg's 1-of-8 from deep in Denver will not pull him out of the paint. Donte DiVincenzo is out for Minnesota with an Achilles injury.
Why Friday matters most
Friday's game against the Lakers, at Chase Center on Prime Video, counts in the Emirates NBA Cup, and it is the one that matters most. Golden State lost 105-127 in Los Angeles on October 21, which started a three-game slide. The 101-89 preseason win, with Podziemski scoring 17, showed the other version of this matchup. Against a rival, with a Cup result at stake and on its home floor, this is where a 1-3 start either steadies or hardens.
The weekend belongs to the bench
The Clippers on Sunday and the Suns on Monday are home games on back-to-back nights, and Phoenix put 131 on this defense on October 24. Kristaps Porzingis and Moses Moody have an estimated return of December 1, and Jimmy Butler III's estimated return is January 2. That puts the weight on the cleared names: Charles Bassey, whose minutes are up nine a night over the last three games, and Brandon Williams. Asking Curry, at 38, to carry both nights is the wrong plan. If Kerr gets even break-even stretches from his reserves, the Denver shape lasts the week. If he doesn't, the starters will be asked to win four games on their legs alone.
When do the Warriors play the Lakers this week?
Friday, October 30, at Chase Center on Prime Video, as an Emirates NBA Cup game. Golden State lost 105-127 in Los Angeles on October 21.
Which Warriors are injured this week?
Kristaps Porzingis and Moses Moody are out with an estimated return of December 1, and Jimmy Butler III is out with an estimated return of January 2. Gui Santos, Brandon Williams and Charles Bassey have been cleared.
