The Warriors and Heat should both arrive at Chase Center in pretty good shape for Thursday’s matchup, with the injury report giving both sides a clean bill of health for the most part.
For Golden State, Gui Santos is the only regular listed out, sidelined by left knee tendinitis. Brandon Williams, who sat out Monday’s game against the Suns because of a quad issue, is no longer on the report at all. Miami, meanwhile, has no other regulars in danger of missing the game.
One notable name on the report is Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is dealing with a right wrist sprain but is still listed as “available.”
Thursday also brings a pair of familiar faces back to San Francisco. Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins are set to return to Chase Center to face the team they once called home.
Thompson spent 11 seasons with the Warriors and helped bring home four titles. Wiggins won one championship during his six seasons in Golden State.
Thompson just delivered the biggest shot of Wednesday’s night in Los Angeles, burying the go-ahead three with one second left to lift Miami over the Clippers, 117-116. He’s opened his Heat stint in solid form, averaging 14.1 points while shooting 45.5 percent overall and 42.5 percent from deep.
Wiggins’ start has gone the other way. He’s averaging a career-low 9.4 points, shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 31.4 percent from three.
The Heat had to grind through overtime against the Clippers on Wednesday, so their top players are carrying a little extra mileage into this one. Davion Mitchell logged 43 minutes, Giannis 41, Bam Adebayo 41, Thompson 35, Pelle Larsson 35 and Wiggins 23.
Golden State, by contrast, has been rested since Monday’s win over the Suns at Chase Center.
There’s also a little backstory attached to Giannis. When the Warriors were pursuing him at last year’s trade deadline, reports said he wasn’t interested in becoming a Warrior.
Whether that had anything to do with the Bucks’ decision to keep him is up for debate. But if it was true, it’s the kind of thing Stephen Curry probably hasn’t forgotten.
The Warriors don’t need much extra motivation as they chase a sixth straight win, especially with two former core pieces on the other side. Still, Curry might have a little something extra in mind when Giannis walks into Chase Center.
In Other News...
Warriors Just Got A Real Kristaps Porzingis Pathway
Kristaps Porzingis has suddenly become a name worth tracking for teams looking to reshape their roster, and the Warriors are right in the middle of that conversation. Reports suggest he may be open to a buyout in the $3-4 million range, which could make it easier for Golden State to line up a trade partner and create a workable path if the front office decides to pursue it.
For the Warriors, the appeal goes beyond just adding a big name to the mix. A deal involving Porzingis could also leave them with a trade exception, giving the team more flexibility in future roster moves. Sources expect something to happen before December 15, so this is one of those situations that could move quickly once the right framework comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Klay Thompson Just Framed His Post-Warriors Chapter Very Differently
Klay Thompsons first night back in Golden State as a member of the Miami Heat came with the kind of mixed bag that has followed him into this new chapter. He scored 11 points in 23 minutes after putting up 30 against the Clippers the night before, and the return to Chase Center offered another reminder of how different his basketball life looks now. More than the box score, though, Thompson made clear that the change of scenery has mattered to him, saying he is happier in Miami and closer to family than he was during his time in Dallas.
For Warriors fans, the broader picture is a little jarring: Thompson is no longer carrying the same spotlight, Andrew Wiggins is working through a reduced role with the Heat, and Tim Hardaway Jr. has seen his minutes shrink in favor of rookie Ryan Conwell. It all adds another layer to a night that was already about nostalgia and transition, with Thompsons post-Warriors path looking less like a farewell tour and more like a reset he seems comfortable embracing. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Rumor Could Reshape Steph Currys Final Title Chase
The Warriors are again being mentioned in the kind of star-hunting conversation that follows them whenever the roster looks a little thin and the championship window feels a little more delicate. With injuries taking a toll on key players, Golden State is said to be viewing itself as a possible landing spot for major names next summer, and that has pushed Nikola Jokic into the center of the speculation.
Jokics situation in Denver is worth watching because extension talks have been delayed, leaving open the possibility of free agency down the line. For the Warriors, the appeal is obvious: a player of that caliber would instantly change the ceiling around Stephen Curry and give the franchise a very different path back into title contention, even as the front office weighs how realistic it is to land a star of that magnitude. [Read more 🡒]