Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said prior to Thursday’s game in Philadelphia that Jimmy Butler underwent an MRI on his sore left knee, according Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
As Friedell writes, while the team doesn’t seem overly concerned about Butler’s knee, it remains to be seen when the 36-year-old forward will return to action — he missed the second half of Tuesday’s loss to Okalahoma City after experiencing the injury and was out Thursday as well.
Golden State has a road back-to-back this weekend, but then has four days off before its next game on December 12, which will likely be Stephen Curry‘s target return date.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- De’Anthony Melton gave the Warriors a spark off the bench on Thurday in his season debut, recording 14 points, three assists, two steals and a block in 21 minutes of action. Kerr said before the game that Melton, who had been recovering from an ACL tear, would be on a restriction of approximately 20 minutes, per Friedell. “It’s been a long time since he’s played in an NBA game, so this is about getting his feet wet, finding a comfort zone out on the floor,” Kerr said. “You can scrimmage all you want, but it’s not like being in an NBA game. So I’m excited to get him back. He’s a hell of a player and he’s worked really hard in his rehab to get himself back to this point.”
- After missing the past four games with sciatica, Al Horford was active against his former team on Thursday and wound up making his first start of the season, tweets Anthony Slater of ESPN. While the 39-year-old big man struggled with his shot again, going 1-for-8 from the field (1-of-7 from long distance), he did chip in six rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block, and the team was plus-three in his 18 minutes.
- Forward/center Draymond Green injured his right foot late in the second quarter during Thursday’s one-point loss after Dominick Barlow fell on it (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area). The Warriors quickly ruled Green out at halftime, and while the former Defensive Player of the Year was in a walking boot in the locker room, he told Slater that he wants and expects to keep playing through the pain. Green sprained the same foot a couple weeks ago when Donovan Clingan landed on it, Slater notes.
- Golden State is now below .500 for the first time this season after dropping Thursday’s game, Slater adds. The Warriors, who are 11-12, mounted a furious comeback in the fourth quarter after trailing by as many as 26, only to see the bid fall short in the closing seconds of a chaotic and entertaining ending.
- One bright spot on Thursday was third-year guard Pat Spencer, who is on a two-way contract. He was instrumental in the comeback, recording 16 points (on 5-of-8 shooting), four rebounds and four assists, with the Warriors outscoring the 76ers by 16 points in his 24 minutes. After the game, Kerr said he’s hoping to see Spencer get promoted to a standard contract at some point — the 29-year-old has been active for all 23 games this season and can be available for up to 50 contests, as Slater relays (Twitter video link). “It would be great to find a way to get him on the (standard) roster,” Kerr said. Still, Kerr acknowledged it would be “tricky” to convert Spencer — the standard roster is now full after Golden State signed Seth Curry, and the team is operating only about $264K below its hard cap.
It’s pretty startling that Spencer has been playing so much better than JK and Podz.
Rory and dezpoo: you know how you resolve this situation of there not being a standard roster spot for Spencer? You send OUT more players than you bring IN for an upcoming trade. And what type of player do you usually attain when you’re giving up more players than you’re getting in return? YOU GUESSED IT. MAJOR..DUBS..BLOCKBUSTER TRADE..on the horizon. It’s inevitable, you guys. Nobody tell me Dunleavy constructed this roster with the intent of being the last team standing WITH all the opening-night pieces (minus Seth) intact throughout! NOBODY!
He’s playing with confidence and nothing to lose attitude…. Kudos to Spencer and his upper body seems much stronger than previous yrs.
Waive Seth, promote Spencer and sign a shot blocking C on a two way contract
Is Seth’s contract non-guaranteed? If not, no point or additional apron space from waiving him
Then no championship
Spencer playing on a standard contract, instead of a 2-way, is the lone key to a title. Astute.
December 12, not November
There’s like 6 errors but it’s free so who are we to complain!
It’s startling how far GSW has fallen since the wins in San Antonio 2 weeks ago when it looked playoff bound.
There is no defensive intensity. Without either Steph and Jimmy on the floor, the offense looks lost. Every player (but Pat Spencer) is hesitant.
Podz and JK have become unplayable, worst than anytime in the last 3 seasons, and are obviously psychologically defeated. This isn’t about lack of progress, but regression.
Steph on his own can’t save this team. Somehow this team needs an identity that both features him, but is not completely dependent on him.
Podz, Buddy and GP2 are the ones who gotta go. Too small, not good enough, cannot spark an offense to save themselves.
Its the offense that looks horrible. Just shooting 3s to start the game. Why is Kerr having them do that. They need to drive to the inside. Podz is the the PG to steer the team to wins. Its time for them to l;et go of kuminga who doesn’t fit the defense at all. They can put Giannis on the team and they are not a top team in the NBA. Its looking like its time to rebuild.
The offense looked horrible because they couldn’t make a shot. If those shots fall, the offense looks a lot better.
There seems to be a lot of motion and cutting and screening so I don’t know if it’s the offense.
Better shooting would cure a lot of this. But easier said than done.
And arc89 you are right. Definitely have to mix in more drives to the basket.
> There seems to be a lot of motion and cutting
> and screening
Yes, but:
1) no player is aggressive (other than Spencer). Ask yourself if any player looks like they’re playing assertively, confidently? No, they’re playing scared, worried about making mistakes.
2) they don’t know what they’re doing. They may be moving, but they can’t make the correct reads, which is why there are so many bad turnovers. We’ve had 9 turnovers in the past 2 games where passes are thown out of bounds in our half-court offense
Why the fear and hesitancy and confusion? It’s as simple as this: every player has been trained to be complementary to Steph and the offense has been intensely honed to maximize only Steph. Without Steph, the must go through Jimmy, who understands how to run it.
Because no player on the team other than Steph and Jimmy (and Draymond) have the license to attack. The result is settling for 3’s late in the clock. Even Moody has a career worst FG%. When Jimmy and Steph are absent, we suffer from the very thing that makes then effective role players: they have been trained to be subordinate.
JK, Podz and Moody have been neutered because that’s the only way they’ll fit. No young player will ever develop in this system.
“Podz is the the PG to steer the team to wins.”
Podz is the worst player in the NBA, he isn’t steering this team to anything. Pat Spencer proved last night he is the PG who can lead this offense without Steph. GSW should only use Spencer and Melton at PG without Steph there.
Podz does not fit this squad at all – his style is pure Russell Westbrook, but without Russ’s IQ and natural abilities. Dollar Store Westbrook is never a guy we need to keep around, let him go be that somewhere else. It’s so infuriating, GSW has never gone after Russ because he does not fit the system, yet Podz gets unlimited chances to succeed while…playing exactly like Russ (if he had an injury of some kind).
Podz is a 2nd unit bench player. He has had every opportunity to be a starter and failed this season. Second time in a week kerr benched him for poor play in the first quarter. Podz put a lot of pressure on himself by claiming he is the next generation of warrior players at teh start of the season. makes you wonder if he is a head case.
Podz has literally compared himself to Steph Curry and Shohei Ohtani whilst having no elite skills. Head case? Absolutely.
“Dollar Store Russ Westrbrook” is so apt for him. GSW avoided Russ this whole time despite having many chances to acquire him…only to have Podz come up and try and be him in a system that he does not work in.
Pat Spencer deserves all of Podz minutes, after that performance, we all just saw Spencer put the team on his back and almost lead them to a comeback (although his inbounding is dreadful, Jimmy should be inbounding if healthy). Podz has never done anything like what Spencer has done in millions of chances.
Isn’t that Spencer the make a wish kid Davey? Dudes been balling. Warriors much smoother with Spencer. If there’s a bet on Podz breaking more backboards than shaq, I’d take it.
Kuminga brought great energy in the first half against the Thunders, but wasnt rewarded in the 2nd half. Just like that, he went from the permanent starter to the last player off the bench and the very first player to be substituted. He’s in the doghouse just like last yr, lol. That’s why the first 12 games seemed fake to me all along.
Its time for the warriors to move on from Kuminga. He turns over the ball too much. Warriors just need to slavage as much value out of him and move on.
It’s all Steve Kerr, you either get rid of Kerr and unlock all the young players, or you keep him and try and get as many veterans as possible. Seems totally insane you would keep mr. smallball over your franchise’s future, just because he wants to retire with Curry and steal his limelight once again.
The problem is the warriors back up players have some real bad players. Podz better be a second unit guy next game. Start Spencer, moody, Melton, Post and Santos. Bring in Seth, Podz, Kuminga, GP2, TJD and heild as your bench. From the rumor mill the warriors are talking about a shake up coming down soon.
Thing is, if you get rid of Kerr, who openly admits he does not know how to develop players, and bring in someone who is good at that, suddenly GSW’s core and future is just fine.
Kerr has been eviscerated online by all of Dub Nation online on instagram, twitter and everywhere else for playing “his son” Podz over everyone else, and shoehorning him into every rotation, when at his core, Podz is playing a Westbrook style and that style does not mesh with GSW’s roster. Just nonsense coaching. And he just keeps doubling down on it, until last night’s game when he replaced Podz with the even smaller Melton.
We need Podz to be a high impact scorer and defender, but he can’t do either. Moses Moody and his 7’1″ wingspan have been great defensively and his offensive has been about as good as a Klay replacement can be. I don;t know why Moody isn’t getting 30 MPG, he is always good, same with Post. Because then Buddy and Podz wouldn’t get their minutes where they throw away the game.
Podz is extension eligible this offseason, and everybody thought he was another $100m+ guy. He’s probably feeling not supported….
He thought he was worth it but he has not even played like a $10 million a year player. Glad MDJ is the GM because he is not handing out contracts unless earned.
arc89, agreed, but when a player has a tremendous rookie and second season, maybe there is another factor contributing to his decline. When young players get jerked around, they play worse.
MDJ drafted Podz and supports him more tban Moody or Kuminga. He will gladly offer him $15-20m per and Podz will turn it down just like Kuminga.
I hope you are wrong about that right now Podz is not a $20 million player or even close to it.
Oh boy, here we go…
It’s been “oh boy, here we go” for a couple weeks. Warriors better get this straightened out and quick.
Warriors have been falling for a couple weeks you say?
Hahaha. Good luck in the chumpionships with that toxic team
Thank you, we need all the luck we can get at this point.
I’m actually looking forward to an eventful trade deadline.
Either we’re dumping everyone.., or adding a big piece or two for one more run.
I can’t wait to see how it plays out.
But you’re right. It’s not looking that good right now even though the Warriors are staying afloat at .500, despite the turmoil.
That one more run was last playoffs and it ended the moment Curry was injured. Enjoy the remaining years of Curry as it will be real bad real soon, if not now.
You could be right.
Two timelines but the second one we are too old and injured all the time.
So Buddy crashing into a play meant for Melton is how GSW lost that game. Buddy has -1000 IQ on court and is totally washed compared to who he once was. Time to go.
Only silver lining to that game: Pat Spencer should see all the non-Curry PG minutes moving forward. He is a dawg on offense. No defense, so you you have to put a good defender out there with him at SG, naned Moses Moody. Get rid of GP2 and Buddy, who are washed up and too small. GSW has too many SGs. Kerr also has no clue about how to coach in this league anymore, he thinks playing winning basketball is playing 4 undersized guys with a forward. That’s not an NBA lineup, it plays zero defense.
Podz stinks and should be in the G League, not going -20 in 20 minutes as Kerr gives him unlimited opportunities that he does not give Moody or Kuminga. Trade GP2, Podz and Buddy for whatever you can get = problems fixed.
Warriors sound like the Heat of the last few years. A 500 team with lots of injuries while the Heat are now healthy and above 600. Just saying…
Heat is in the easy division is the only reason they are 600.
Warriors top ast guys are Steph, Butler, Green. While it shows they have an all-around game. You should have a PG leading in ast. Or at least a guard at 6 a game, a playmaker. Warriors don’t have a true PG. They rely of Kerr offense for ball movement and play making. Melton can help here. They need a guy to be consistently that guy. A game like last night. A true PG, a game manager. Would have won that game. With no true PG then it falls on the offense and coach. Sixers aren’t a good team. You can’t let these games get away imo.
Its obvious they have no leadership without Curry on the floor. 1st quarter all they did was shoot up 3s. No drives to teh basket so the defense of 76ers could just play a zone on 3 pt line and watch the air balls fly.
Buddy Hield had the most rebounds in the game with 8 for Warriors in 26 minutes. Meanwhile Post played 25 minutes and had 3 rebounds total, and TJD is trash.
Sheesh.
Post was playing good defense. TJD is trash he can’t shoot more than 2 feet from the basket. Santos should be playing way before TJD touches the floor. Instead of thinking they need another big star they need to rid the team of about 5 players.
The players GSW should get rid of:
-Podziemski – doesn’t fit Kerr’s system, plays too much me-first style, like Russell Westbrook. If GSW never went after Russ, they should not play Podz either. Podz proves every game he does not work in this system.
-GP2 – washed, has lost a step, Kerr is too obsessed with playing him in crucial moments that are way above his payscale and talent level. Would be fine if used 10 MPG in 2 5 min bursts. But also he is not a forward.
-Buddy – also completely cooked in this league. If he can’t make 3’s, why does he exist? He is too small for this modern game. If Kerr played Moody instead of Buddy in 4Q, GSW wins that game easily.
-TJD – if Kerr flat out refuses to play him, why is he here?
-Draymond – is posting career lows across the board, is now getting injured, its time for GSW to move on. Plus he ruins too many runs by being emotional. Jimmy wants that Draymond role and still is very productive/borderline elite. We don’t need 2 Draymonds.
-Kerr – playing small ball plays zero defense and does not work. Yet its his ONLY move. Why? He isn’t even trying anymore.
Those are the biggest problems on this team. Kuminga can stay if Kerr goes.
GP2 is on a minimum deal and can still play at times. TJD is not a good player because he lacks any shooting at all. Buddy looks cooked on defense all the time. Green is looking his age with injuries. Kerr plays him out of position as a center.
When need to trade podz now before his value goes down any lower. Kuminga needs to go too. Its not just Kerr Kuminga doesn’t have the high IQ ability at NBA level.
Brutal, but true that all of these don’t have a future with the team.
Draymond, GP2, and Kerr have given their best, but they’ve aged out.
I’d add that if/when Kerr goes, everything changes for the young guys like Podz and TJD.
Post does a great job “fighting for” rebounds. But it seems like he’s always too far from the basket.
Offensively he’s definitely out at the three-point line and defensively He just seems to box out a lot more than go after the board.
That’s understandable as a strategy for non-jumpers.
Don’t go for the rebound but rather box out your guy so HE doesn’t get it. Warriors employ a team rebounding strategy much of the time.
If I was given the job of “developing players” the next game would be perfect to try a veteran-less lineup for long amount of time
Play these guys 30+ mins in the next game vs the Cavs, GSW will win
PG: Pat Spencer
SG: Moses Moody
SF: Gui Santos
PF: Jonathan Kuminga
C: Quintin Post
Bench: TJD, Richard, Seth, Melton
DNP: GP2, Podz, Buddy, Horford, Steph, Jimmy
Another stupid thing Kerr does, plays ice cold players “to get everyone minutes” when minutes should be earned, not given. If someone is cold, give them a day off. Use 9 players like the 76ers do every game.
It’s worth trying, but let’s try Melton at PG.
Pat Soencer may get us buckets, but he’s not going to make those other guys better.