The Warriors head to Houston on Wednesday night riding a wave that’s hard to ignore: eight straight wins, an 8-3 record, and Stephen Curry in full scorch mode at 30.6 points per game. Golden State’s first road stop of a five-game trip comes against a Rockets team that’s matching that 8-3 mark and just handled the Denver Nuggets 110-100.
But the headline on the injury report is Will Richard, and it’s a strange one. Richard is listed as questionable even after suffering a left thumb UCL tear in the overtime win over the Orlando Magic.
That kind of injury usually comes with a much longer recovery window, so his quick return to contention stands out. For now, his status looks headed for a game-time decision.
Golden State’s list of absences is still plenty long. Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, Brandon Williams and Kristaps Porzingis are all out, while Julian Phillips and Quadir Copeland are unavailable because of G League commitments.
The Warriors are coming off a blowout of their own, a 138-87 demolition of the New Orleans Pelicans. Curry, Brandin Podziemski and Yaxel Lendeborg each scored at least 23 points, combining for 73, and Golden State piled up 37 assists on 50 made field goals.
Houston, though, brings a different kind of challenge. Kevin Durant is averaging 21 points per game while taking just 12.3 shots a night, Alperen Sengun leads the team at 21.3 points per game, and Jabari Smith Jr. is scoring 17.3. Durant also came out of the Nuggets game with 23 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, a near triple-double that underlined how central he’s become.
The Rockets will also be thin up front. Steven Adams and Clint Capela are both out, leaving Houston short on center depth for this matchup.
Jimmy Butler III (Right ACL repair/surgery): OUT
Moses Moody (Left patellar tendon repair/surgery): OUT
Gary Payton II (Left knee inflammation): OUT
Kristaps Porzingis (Not with team): OUT
Will Richard (Left thumb UCL tear): QUESTIONABLE
Brandon Williams (Left hamstring strain): OUT
Steven Adams (Right soleus strain): OUT
Clint Capela (Right ankle sprain): OUT
Quadir Copeland (G League assignment, two-way): OUT
Julian Phillips (G League assignment, two-way): OUT
In Other News...
Warriors Face A Draymond Green Question They Never Expected
Draymond Greens name surfacing in trade chatter is the kind of development the Warriors never really expected to be managing this time of year. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Sacramento Kings have interest in Green ahead of the February mid-season deadline, which immediately turns a familiar Golden State cornerstone into an unexpected talking point as the market starts to take shape.
A deal between the Warriors and Kings would come with plenty of hurdles, from fit to contract considerations, and the idea still feels more like a difficult possibility than a clear path forward. Still, the fact that Green is being discussed at all says plenty about how quickly the deadline can force even the most established teams into uncomfortable territory, and there has been no official trade confirmed. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Backcourt Plans Could Suddenly Revive A Familiar Reunion Talk
The Warriors eight-game surge has only sharpened the sense that this group is back in the kind of position where bigger roster ideas start to surface. After the win over New Orleans, Golden State is once again being mentioned in the same breath as high-end names such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis, which tells you how quickly the conversation can shift when a team starts stacking victories and looking ahead to the next offseason.
Jordan Poole has also re-entered the picture in a way that would have sounded unlikely not long ago, with the former Warrior saying he would be open to a return as a free agent. If Golden State does end up with more salary cap flexibility next offseason, the front office may have more room to explore familiar paths as well as splashier ones, and that is the kind of backdrop that keeps reunion talk alive even when the roster is already rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Look More Right Than Ever On Lauri Markkanen Stance
The Warriors spent part of the 2024 offseason chasing Lauri Markkanen, but they drew a firm line when Utah asked for Brandin Podziemski and other meaningful pieces. Golden State ultimately walked away, and now that choice looks a lot more sensible in hindsight. Markkanens recent non-displaced hand fracture will keep him out for at least a month, and the Jazz have stumbled out of the gate, adding more weight to the idea that the Warriors were right to protect their young guard and their draft capital.
Podziemski has become the kind of player Golden State values, and the clubs reluctance to part with him now reads as more than just caution. Markkanen still has real talent, but his injury history and the uncertainty around his long-term value make the price Utah wanted look steep, especially with the Jazz already in a rough early-season stretch. For the Warriors, the decision to hold onto their assets may not have delivered a headline-grabbing addition, but it has aged like a prudent front-office call. [Read more 🡒]