Injury Hit Warriors Prepare for a High Intensity Battle with the Thunder
As Golden State prepares to host the NBA’s hottest team, it will be without the services of a few teammates. Superstar Stephen Curry will hope to return to action within the week following his quad injury against the Rockets, and is set to be re-evaluated in just a few days. De’Anthony Melton’s debut also looms near, but the Warriors will certainly not rush a player so close to coming back from a torn ACL. Two big men will also not feature in the Warriors’ Tuesday roster, as Trayce Jackson-Davis and Al Horford are both considered day-to-day.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s injury report has also begun to pile up. While they have just recently welcomed back former all-star Jalen Williams, center Isaiah Hartenstein sustained an injury over the weekend that will keep him sidelined for a minimum of 10 days. Alex Caruso will also be questionable after not participating in the Thunder’s most recent win, taking down the Portland Trail Blazers 123-115. Despite also missing a few bench players, the Thunder will have most of their big hitters available. Teams across the league still struggle to find answers on how to stop the reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s averaging 32.9 points per game this season. The lanky Chet Holmgren has also taken another step forward on offense with 18.2 PPG, while maintaining his dynamic defensive presence.
In this matchup, I expect the Warriors to have a difficult time keeping up with Oklahoma City. Though they can certainly run with the Thunder, I don’t believe Golden State has the bodies to disrupt the defending NBA Champions’ offensive rhythm. We saw just that in their previous contest, with head coach Mark Daigneault’s group building an early lead and holding it comfortably until the final buzzer. If they want any chance to avoid repeating the same result as last time, the home team needs to have a good start in all phases of the game. That means taking care of the ball, forcing OKC to take tough shots, and moving the ball on offense.
I consider Jonathan Kuminga an X-factor for Tuesday night. His style perfectly suits what I project to be a fast-paced game, and his value will most likely prove larger on defense. This seems like a perfect opportunity for the former first-round pick to find his groove again, especially with no Curry in the lineup. Even though they don’t play the same position, the absence of the greatest shooter of all time opens room for others to leap forward. Jimmy Butler will be the clear first choice, but can Kuminga finally establish some relevance that he so desperately needs? If Golden State wants any chance to defend their home court, they will need the absolute best performance from every single player. Even if that sounds obvious, OKC can blow out teams in the blink of an eye, so if coach Steve Kerr’s squad doesn’t match their energy, the game will be over before it tips off.
