137 Minutes Are Out Today, and the Warriors' Depth Must Hold Through Monday
With 137 minutes of rotation time unavailable, the three-game streak now depends on players the roster was never built to lean on.
By our count, Golden State has had the second-heaviest absence of any club in the league since October 20. The Clippers come first and the Suns follow Monday, so the bench gets two nights to prove the streak is real.
How big is the hole?
Five rotation players are out today: Curry, Green, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porzingis and Jimmy Butler. At the minutes each has averaged, that is 137 a game gone. Since October 20, by our count, the club has 1,371 minutes out, second most among the 30 teams. The worst single day reached 188. Most of today's total is long-term, with Butler, Porzingis and Moody all listed through December or January.
Who fills it?
Brandin Podziemski (32.7 minutes in four games) and Yaxel Lendeborg (32.0 in six) already carry the heaviest loads. Below them, the work is going to Charles Bassey, who is up nine minutes a night over the last three games with a teammate out. Gui Santos is listed day-to-day with the left knee again and is expected back today. By our count, 2 of 6 day-to-day Warriors have missed the next game, against 58% of 112 players league-wide, so the club's own record gives him decent odds. All of these samples are short.
What does a rest night cost?
Curry and Green are both listed out for rest. Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area reported right knee management for Curry and low back management for Green, on the first night of a back-to-back. Both are listed to return Monday. Curry is averaging 29.2 points while shooting 44.0% from three through five games, and the team's net rating this season is only 0.9 over six games. It is a thin margin to give away. By our count Curry is 8 rebounds short of 5,000 for his career. At this season's pace that is about 3 games away, so it will not come Sunday.
What should fans watch?
The Clippers are 1-4 and on a four-game losing streak, without Max Strus, Bradley Beal and Jordan Miller. That is the opponent a short-handed team can beat. Watch whether Santos plays, how many minutes Bassey gets, and whether Podziemski and Lendeborg stay under heavy loads into Monday. The streak says the Warriors can absorb one night without their stars. Two nights in a row will say more.
How many minutes are the Warriors missing to injury?
By our count, five rotation players are out today, worth 137 minutes a game at their averages. Since October 20 the club has 1,371 minutes out, second most of 30 teams.
When are Curry and Green expected back?
Both are listed out for rest against the Clippers, with a return listed for Monday, November 2 against the Suns.
