Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
Getty
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors will close out a grueling six-game road trip Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks with a depleted roster, as injuries continue to shape both their short-term outlook and playoff positioning.
Their injury report for Monday’s matchup in Dallas is long.
Golden State will be without several key players, including Stephen Curry, who remains sidelined with a knee injury and has not played since Feb. 1. The team announced Curry will be re-evaluated later this week, but has made “good progress,” sparking optimism that his return is nearing.
Joining Curry on the inactive list are Jimmy Butler (ACL), Seth Curry (left adductor strain), Al Horford (calf) and Quinten Post (foot), leaving the Warriors thin across multiple positions.
Moses Moody Nears Return
Moses Moody
GettyMoses Moody nears his return to the Golden State Warriors lineup.
There was some encouraging news for Golden State.
Moses Moody, who has been dealing with a wrist injury, has been upgraded to questionable after participating in live practices. Moody had initially been scheduled for re-evaluation on Tuesday, but his progression has accelerated, making him a game-time decision for Monday’s matchup.
His potential return would provide a boost to a rotation that has struggled to maintain consistency amid mounting injuries.
Mavericks Get Reinforcements
The Mavericks, meanwhile, are trending in the opposite direction on the injury front.
Kristaps Porziņģis (back) and De’Anthony Melton (hand) have both been upgraded to probable and are expected to play.
Dallas will look to take advantage of Golden State’s shorthanded lineup as it attempts to snap an extended home losing streak.
Warriors Struggling Through Road Trip
Golden State enters the game with a 1-4 record on its current road trip, with its lone win coming in Washington. The Warriors have since dropped games in New York, Boston, Detroit and Atlanta, extending a difficult stretch.
Overall, Golden State has lost 10 of its last 12 games and is just 6-14 since Curry went down with the injury — a skid that has significantly impacted its standing in the Western Conference.
Play-In Picture Comes Into Focus
The Warriors have fallen from No. 7 to No. 10 in the Western Conference during Curry’s absence and now face an uphill climb in the final weeks of the regular season.
With 11 games remaining, Golden State trails the No. 9 seed Portland Trail Blazers by 1.5 games and sits two games behind the No. 8 Los Angeles Clippers — the latter being particularly important in the NBA’s play-in tournament format.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged the team’s current reality following a recent loss.
“What I’m most interested in right now is can we prepare ourselves for the play-in (tournament),” Kerr said following Wednesday’s 120-99 loss in Boston. “We’re going to be in the play-in. We know that — one way or the other. So, we’ve got to prepare.”
Kerr added that reaching the top six — and avoiding the play-in entirely — is no longer a realistic goal.
“We’ve had our eyes on (the No. 6 seed) for a while. And that’s out of the question now,” Kerr said. “If we can string together some wins, try to get to eight, that’d be ideal.”
Opportunity Against Struggling Mavericks
Despite their own struggles, the Mavericks present a potential opportunity.
Dallas has lost 11 consecutive home games dating back to Jan. 22, offering Golden State a chance to end its road trip on a positive note.
However, with injuries continuing to limit its roster, the Warriors will need contributions from role players to overcome both their current form and the Mavericks’ expected lineup improvements.
Final Outlook
As the regular season nears its conclusion, the Warriors’ focus has shifted from climbing the standings to securing the best possible position within the play-in tournament.
Monday’s game represents more than just the end of a road trip — it’s another test of how Golden State can compete without its cornerstone player.
With Stephen Curry’s return still uncertain, the margin for error remains slim.