Warriors big man Kristaps Porzingis has received medical clearance to play in tonight’s game at Oklahoma City, according to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points (Twitter link). It will mark just the second appearance for Porzingis since he was acquired from Atlanta at last month’s trade deadline.
Coach Steve Kerr expects him to play about 15-20 minutes, relays Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link).
Porzingis has been dealing with a lingering illness that has affected him for much of the season. The first encouraging sign came when he was able to accompany the team on its current road trip, and he was upgraded to questionable after missing Thursday’s game at Houston.
Kerr took an optimistic tone before that contest, telling reporters, “It’s great that he’s here and great that he’s feeling well enough to be on the trip,” per Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required).
Golden State traded for Porzingis in hopes of adding some scoring punch to help offset the loss of Jimmy Butler, who will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL. Porzingis was held out through the All-Star break before making his Warriors debut in a February 19 loss to Boston. He played 17 minutes and contributed 12 points, one rebound, one assist and one block.
Porzingis’ health issues date back to last season with the Celtics when he began to experience an illness that sapped his strength. He told The Athletic prior to this season that he had been diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). The malady, combined with injury issues, limited him to 17 games with the Hawks before the trade.
Although the Warriors could certainly use a bigger contribution from Porzingis as they fight for playoff position in the West, Draymond Green said that there’s been no pressure on him to return, either from management or teammates.
“When a guy is hurt or sick or whatever, there is no one around here pressuring you. … We don’t move like that,” Green said, per Gordon. “… When he’s healthy he’ll be out there. We don’t sit around pressuring guys to make them feel this angst that they’ve got to get back out there. You’ll get back when you can get back and we know it.”
Porzingis’ return appears to be the first step as the short-handed Warriors are starting to get healthier again. Kerr said De’Anthony Melton will miss tonight’s game with a knee issue, but should return for Monday’s contest at Utah. Seth Curry, who has only been available for two games all season due to a sciatic nerve-related injury, is expected back Monday or Tuesday. Stephen Curry remains sidelined with runner’s knee and will be reevaluated in a few days.
Will there be a Parade …🧨🧨🧨🧨
Yep. It is a pretty big parade. Definitely lots of fireworks.
Probably be sick again in about 3 games.
——- PoTS ——
P – pure
O – orchestrated
T – traumatic
S – service
DNPKP
This is sad, I dont see why would a knicks fan would hate on KP
The team is better than ever, he did his best there. Move on.
You answered your own question. lol KP is the poster boy of what went wrong in the 2010’s. He had a good run there but he won a ring elsewhere. Knicks fans should worry only about their current roster, not former guys who are elsewhere. East got more difficult with Tatum being back.
He was drafted into an awful situation, I think he definitely exceeded expectations.
This has nothing to do with him being a Knick.
Catch up ……. FKP
The greatest trick the unicorn ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.
ABC game on a Saturday ? We’ll just say there was a phone call and a strong suggestion.
He’s already traveling with the team on this trip so he’s sort of ready to go anyway.
Yes, all of the people dropping their plans so they can watch Porzingis play his 60th game over the past two seasons.
Must watch TV.
Tuning in for Pat Spencer is probably worse than tuning in to Pat Sajak.
But if Porziņģis plays.., and I would consider his $30 million salary as one that qualifies for star players in the whole TV game requirement thing, then yes, I’ll tune in to see how it goes.
I’m interested in seeing if he’s effective against Holmgren or iHeart.
But no, I wouldn’t expect casuals to watch. There’s so much more on the entertainment schedule for Saturday evenings. So your point is valid.
Spencer is so bad on defense. OKC players were blowing by him constantly. I notice teams now seek him out on defense. Why does kerr love him so much. Cryer is a better player than s Spencer and needs to play more.
Spencer is athletic, has a cool background, listens to coaches, works hard, and comes from a good family that Kerrs can relate to. It’s exactly what “white privelege” is all about just like Nick Kerr. Spencer is all but guaranteed assistant coaching job and/or fo job in nba. So easy…. Lol
I hate to be political but i do notice a change if trend in nba because of what sponsors want. It’s all about money. How do you you keep half of America not to tune out? Have more white players…. Nba qas into too much social acitivism few yrs back, so it’s now going from ime extreme to the other.
What did the Warriors think was going to change health wise. Does KP get the vet minimum next season?
I guess there’s hope that mystery illness would clear up eventually this year. It’s not an ACL or hammy or Achilles tear with a concrete timeline.
So I’m sure the thought was Steph and Porziņģis and the other guys and see what happens.
It’s all about health in the playoffs anyways and if unfortunately some guys go down on the other teams, anything is possible.
Sure, not working out for the dubs so far, but you couldn’t keep JK around in that locker room. That was nonnegotiable.
The medical staff thought they could work with KP. Players have succeeded with POTS, and worse. Why not take the risk. The Warriors have been playing better since Kuminga left.
SGA closed out the Knicks. After KAT had enough and left the building ….. SGA is a bad man
I wish Jimmy was here. Love to see him try and shut down SGA.
KP as a rim protector …???? Really. KP doesn’t like contact. Not a rim protector. Thats funny
holy moly does pat spencer stink at nba basketball
Why does kerr play him?? That is the favorite that Kerr plays over more players that deserve minutes.
He’s trying to develop the 29 yr old Spencer a real nba contract this offseason so that Spencer can eventually enter coaching. Kerr is really not that interestimg in winning a title or future for Warriors. He has changed since he first joined Warriors. He’s no longer humble flexible positibe coach. He’s stubborn with huge ego. At his age, he feels “it’s his way or no way” type of coaching. I would like to see him coach at a major college program especially in the current NIL era. He and Nick would be a perfect tandem.
@Michol – my sentiments exactly. It’s not about “small ball” and more about “playing 5 Steve Kerr-sized players at once” as he sits back and gets his jollies over that. Kerr was literally comparing himself to Steph when he took over and had a “he’s nothing special” attitude about the GOAT, like “he’s basically the same player I was”. Which…is unfathomable and untrue.
I can’t believe I am watching this. The Warriors posting KP. Old school lols. KP a good FT shooter. You don’t see teams do this. Freakin KAT should be doing this more.
Gotta double team him. Make him give it up lol. Under 9 sec.
We are sending Pat Spencer to the knicks if you keep thrashing the warriors. He can take down your Knick in just 10 minutes of play. LOL
TD is over …. Warriors are pesky. Jimmy and Steph with a healthy KP. Hmmmm
arc is right, Pat Spencer = game deflater. He should not be in the NBA, period, let alone on a 2way deal. There’s dozens of other PGs out there who destroy Pat at every aspect of the game.
Pat does have a offense game but on defense OKC targeted him and their players was blowing by Spencer all the time. In zone Kerr has him play the corner because his defense is so bad to cover up his short comings on defense.
@arc I thought that at first, but Pat’s offense really isn’t that great either. He’s a novelty player on a supposed contending team. Novelty players do not belong on contending teams, they belong on the Nets. He should go back to lacrosse.
They’re not contenders. He’s right where he should be.
Spencer is who he is a 2 way player not a regular on any team.
@TunaNoCrust go look at the standings. Steph Curry’s team is always a contender unless he is out for the season, which he isn’t.
So weird how much importance you are putting on random regular season games. Bad analysis. Watch GSW in the playoffs. The squad is coming together.
They’re gonna get bounced out of the play-in lol
I’m kidding about that but they’re not going to contend. They don’t have enough to make it out of the west this year.
Add Playoffs Steph to that team that just pressed the Thunder and they are cooking them!
Stop it. If they played OKC in a series they lose in 5-6 games.
Playoffs Curry the ethical hooper > floppers united
I like watching curry more than I like SGA man I just don’t see them being OKC in a series
I get it, we haven’t actually seen the full strength (minus Jimmy) Warriors. But what if they do get everyone healthy by say, April 1? And what if they are good? And what if Kerr gets out of the way and plays the bigs together? GSW is locked into a postseason appearance, there’s no way they are tanking, so if they really want to win, they are going to show us how. Gui Santos has stood up and taken massive steps in recent weeks, he is the Jimmy replacement.
Pat Spencer last 4 games: -3, -1, -17, -10. Replace that horrendous output with literally Steph Curry, and suddenly this team looks way better.
We’ll see man! Playoffs gonna be fun for sure.
It’s not a mysterious illness if you now what it is – Porzingitis
I can’t believe the Warriors are reminding us what posting is for. You always take a little guy to the post. They double you. You pass out. I been saying this for yrs lols. With 3pt shooting. You can run this all day. Make them pay for putting a small guy on you. inside outside. With 3 pt shooting every team should be doing this. Unreal man.
KP has been acting like a woman who doesn’t want to have intercourse with her husband at night
your wife staying late at work?
You know the craziest part about all these Curry-doomers, is this:
– he is avg 27.2 PPG, the most he has avg since 2022-23, when he had 29.4. His career avg is 24.8.
– he is avg .468 FG%, his career avg is .471
– he leads the league in FT%
Right now. But he’s “gone in 2 years”? He literally today talked about taking a reduced role in his 40s.
He is not going away, and he is not leaving GSW. Deal with it.
The only questions we should be asking about Steph in this arena have to do with what kinds of contracts will he get as he gets older, knowing the more payroll GSW has, the higher chance he has of winning another ring.
Blah blah blah injured player blah blah blah
Were are ALL my DENIERS at 🤫🤫🤫🤐🤐
feels good to know what I know ———
Raynaud — 42 overall pick in draft. Is playing like best Center in draft in running for ROY 😱😱
38 mins, 26 pts , 10/20 FG, 6/6 FT, 11 reb, 3 blk
Warriors passed on this. I am available for head scout
He’s not in the running for ROY. Flagg Knuppel and Edgecomb are the front runners
He has been as high as 5. Right now he is top 6. On KIA ROY. He is top 5 on others. Last 6wjs his numbers are getter than Queen. And Wueen is my guy. Lol this isn’t about Raybaud. It’s about Warriors oassing on him. And their non talent Wagoneers. Who hate on him just cause I called out the Warriors. Like they hated on Kuminga. Sometimes we all get it wrong.
Understood! Haha
He is cooking nothing but tanking teams.
After Wiseman, GSW will never draft a big.
You are making an argument that was never on the table.
Raynaud might be a good player in this league, but GSW would have never taken him. Also why are you pinning GSW here? Every team could have drafted him. Your scope should be more “Raynaud is an awesome player” not “GSW is stupid for not drafting him” if he’s a star, then theres a LOT of teams who should have drafted him.
Davey your fellow fans have trashed Raynaud. Thats not the way you settle an argument. He was a miss. No big deal. Just they are children so can’t admit it.
Davey even having Raynaud to trade with Kuminga. Could have brung a better talent. Raynaud is doing better than I thought he would.
I agree Al, I would have picked Raynaud over Brea, Raynaud looks pretty good. Problem is, GSW and Kerr would never play him. They cant fathom having Post, TJD and Raynaud all together.
Kerr backed MDJ into a corner and forced him to get as many undersized guards as possible. Cant wait to watch Seth Curry, Podz, GP2, Spencer and 1 big get cooked together in a few hours lol