Kristaps Porzingis has been traded to the Golden State Warriors.
Getty
Kristaps Porzingis has been traded to the Golden State Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors will be without Stephen Curry when they face the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.
Curry returned to the team’s facility Wednesday night and attempted to participate in the Warriors’ scrimmage. He could not. Runner’s knee continues to limit him, and Golden State will not rush him back. That makes six consecutive games on the sidelines for the four-time champion.
Head coach Steve Kerr addressed Curry’s status Wednesday. “Just wasn’t where he needed to be to go through the scrimmage,” Kerr said, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater. “And so it’s unfortunate, but we’ll have an update tomorrow after he goes through his time with the training staff tonight.”
The Warriors hoped the All-Star break would give Curry enough time to recover from the lingering inflammation. It did not. Curry may undergo another MRI after consulting with Rick Celebrini, the Warriors’ lead medical decision-maker.
However, the Warriors did receive encouraging news on another front.
Kenzo Fukuda
Steve Kerr said Steph Curry will not be available for the Boston Celtics game tomorrow. Did not practice today.
“Just wasn’t where he needed to be to go through the scrimmage.”
Kristaps Porzingis however was a full participant and will be listed as questionable.
Porzingis Says He Is Ready to Go
Kristaps Porzingis
GettyThe Golden State Warriors acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks.
Kristaps Porzingis is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game against the Celtics.
But all signs point to him making his Warriors debut. Porzingis participated in a full scrimmage Wednesday and looked good, according to Kerr. After practice, Porzingis told reporters he is ready.
“Feeling excellent,” Porzingis said. “I feel good on court. I did a bunch of work before the All-Star break and the couple of days off, but I stayed active. Wanted to not take some time off, because I barely played this season. I want to get out there, and I’m feeling good and start building on top of this and finish the year really strong.”
When asked directly if he intends to make his Warriors debut Thursday, Porzingis smiled and gave a playful answer. “I don’t know how much I can say,” Porzingis said while glancing at the Warriors’ PR team. “But feeling good and ready to go.”
That response suggests Porzingis will play. The Warriors acquired him from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. Porzingis has not played since January 7 due to Achilles tendinitis. He appeared in just 17 games with the Hawks this season before the trade.
Kerr confirmed that Porzingis will come off the bench if he plays. The plan is to ease him back with limited minutes, likely around 15 per game initially. Kerr expects to play Porzingis in short bursts as he continues working his way back from injury.
Anthony Slater
Kristaps Porzingis said he’s “back at it” tomorrow vs Celtics. Team listing him as questionable so he didn’t want to say for certain, but it’s clear he plans to make his Warriors debut.
“Feeling good. Ready to go.”
How Porzingis Changes the Warriors
The Warriors need Porzingis now more than ever.
With Curry sidelined and Jimmy Butler out for the season with a torn ACL, Golden State desperately needs another scoring option. Porzingis averaged 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.29 blocks per game with the Hawks before the trade. His ability to score from anywhere on the floor gives the Warriors a new dimension offensively.
Al Horford, who played with Porzingis in Boston, said he expects his former teammate to have a bigger offensive role in Golden State. “His ability to score the ball offensively, I feel like he’s really going to be able to help us,” Horford said. “He’ll probably have more opportunities on the offensive end, especially obviously with us missing Jimmy and everything, I think that there’s a great opportunity for him to step in and have a bigger role offensively.”
Porzingis also raved about playing alongside Draymond Green. He told reporters he loves working with Green and now understands why the veteran forward has been so important to Golden State’s success.
However, Porzingis is taking a measured approach to his return. He is not placing unrealistic expectations on himself. “Again, not to put any crazy expectations on myself,” Porzingis said. “Just one day at a time. Build up from the low minutes I’m gonna have. Build up slowly, and I’ll be fine.”
That patience is necessary. Porzingis has dealt with various injuries over the last two seasons. The Warriors would not have traded for him unless they believed he could stay on the floor. But managing his workload early will be critical to keeping him healthy down the stretch.
What This Means for the Warriors
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
GettySteve Kerr, Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors sit at 29-26 and are in eighth place in the Western Conference.
Thursday’s game against the Celtics marks the start of the final stretch of the regular season. Golden State needs wins to climb out of the play-in tournament picture. Playing without Curry makes that task more difficult. But getting Porzingis on the court provides a much-needed boost.
The Warriors went 6-10 in games Curry missed earlier this season. They cannot afford to continue losing at that rate. Porzingis gives them a legitimate scoring threat who can operate inside and outside. His size and versatility create matchup problems that most teams cannot solve.
Nevertheless, the Warriors’ season hinges on Curry’s health. Runner’s knee has now kept him out for six consecutive games. The inflammation is not a long-term concern, but it requires rest and management. The Warriors are being cautious, which is the right approach. Rushing Curry back could lead to a setback that costs them in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Porzingis is ready to make his debut. If he plays, the Warriors will finally see what their trade deadline acquisition can provide. The hope is that Porzingis can help keep Golden State afloat until Curry returns. If he cannot, the Warriors’ playoff hopes will take another hit.
Final Word for the Warriors
Stephen Curry will miss his sixth consecutive game Thursday night.
Runner’s knee continues to limit him, and the Warriors are not taking chances. Curry may undergo another MRI to get more clarity on the injury. The timeline for his return remains uncertain.
Kristaps Porzingis, however, appears ready to make his Warriors debut. He participated in a full scrimmage Wednesday and said he feels excellent. If he plays, it will mark the first time Golden State gets to see what their trade deadline acquisition can do.
The Warriors need both players healthy to make a playoff run. For now, they will have to rely on Porzingis to provide scoring in Curry’s absence. Thursday’s game against the Celtics will reveal whether Porzingis is ready for that responsibility.