The Warriors have a chance to keep rolling Monday night, and the schedule handed them a little help. Golden State, sitting at 7-3, is chasing an eighth straight win against a New Orleans team that will be missing three starters.
Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson and Yves Missi have all been ruled out. Murphy and Williamson both played Sunday, so their absence fits the usual back-end-of-a-back-to-back rest pattern. Missi, meanwhile, has now missed the Pelicans’ last eight games.
Golden State has its own injury situation to manage. Will Richard is out indefinitely with a UCL injury, Gary Payton II is questionable because of a knee issue, and Gui Santos is probable with a knee injury of his own.
Even without Murphy, Williamson and Missi, New Orleans still has some scoring punch available. Jeremiah Fears, who is averaging 15.8 points per game, and Dejounte Murary, at 14.9, can both pile up numbers.
Saddiq Bey, who has been a problem for the Warriors in the past and is averaging 16.1 points, is expected to move into the starting lineup for the first time this season. Second-year center Derik Queen, averaging 12.1 points, is also likely to make his first start of the year.
Jordan Poole, who has played only four games this season because of an ankle injury, is off the injury report and can still get hot in a hurry.
For the Warriors, Monday is about more than just the winning streak. They are trying to reach eight straight victories for the first time since a nine-game run from January to February 2022. They also have a shot at their first 6-0 homestand since May 2021.
That stretch came in a strange season that began in December and pushed the schedule into May. Stephen Curry caught fire in April and May to drag the Warriors into the play-in tournament as the No. 8 seed, though they lost both play-in games and missed the playoffs.
Curry has been on another tear during this homestand. In the four games he has played at home during the stretch, he has averaged 33.8 points while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 49.0 percent from three.
In Other News...
Warriors Rotation Takes Another Hit As Backcourt Minutes Suddenly Open Up
The Warriors backcourt depth took another blow when Will Richard suffered a UCL tear in his left thumb against the Magic, an injury that is expected to keep him out indefinitely. For a team already juggling multiple sidelined players, it is another reminder of how thin the rotation has become and how quickly minutes can shift when one more guard goes down.
Golden State now has to sort through the ripple effects, especially in the backcourt where opportunity has opened up as much as concern has spread. The roster crunch has also fueled broader questions about how the team might respond if the injuries keep piling up, with one possible path being a trade to address the need for more reliable depth. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Two-Way Depth Suddenly Has A New Roster Problem
Alex Tooheys brief run through Warriors camp ended with a waiver, a reflection of how little preseason runway he got to show what he could do in Golden State. But his first game with Santa Cruz offered a quick reminder that the organization may not be done with him yet, as he opened the G League season with 18 points and contributed across the box score with rebounds and assists.
For a Warriors team carrying Malevy Leons and LJ Cryer on two-way deals without much NBA floor time so far, Tooheys strong start adds a new layer to the roster conversation. The front office has already shown a willingness to shuffle the back end of the roster when a player forces the issue, and Tooheys performance gives him a real chance to work his way back into that mix sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Face A Porzingis Trade Tension Fans Will Understand
The Warriors search for frontcourt help is turning into one of those familiar roster puzzles: how aggressive do they want to be, and how much young talent are they willing to part with to make it happen? Kristaps Porzingis has surfaced in trade discussions, and his buyout flexibility could make the market a little easier to navigate, but Golden State is still weighing the fit against its own priorities.
Moses Moody is at the center of that calculation. The injured wing is expected back within the next two months, and the Warriors have reasons to value keeping him, from his upside to the way his contract fits into future planning. For now, the team appears more inclined to shop in the range of players earning under $20 million, with center help emerging as the clearest target if a deal comes together. [Read more 🡒]