Kristaps Porzingis Unsure About Returning To Warriors
Kristaps Porzingis is uncertain of his next step as he heads toward unrestricted free agency after the Warriors‘ season ended Friday with a play-in loss at Phoenix, writes Melissa Rohlin of The California Post.
The health problems that have followed Porzingis through most of his career continued after he was traded to Golden State in February. A lingering battle with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) contributed to him playing just 15 of a possible 31 regular season games after joining the Warriors. It’s also causing him to reflect on the current state of his career before making any decisions about his future.
“That’s a good question,” Porzingis responded when Rohlin asked if he wants to re-sign with Golden State. “I do love my time here, honestly. Not one bad thing I can say about the organization, the team, the teammates. I really love it here, I really do. As I said before, I haven’t had a good year. If I had a good year, I think I’d have a more clear picture of what I want to do. Because I’ve had an up-and-down year like this, this is an offseason in my career that I think I’m just going to take a step back, look at the whole picture and then see what’s the best direction for me.”
Porzingis averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game with the Warriors and showed occasional flashes of brilliance despite the health issues. One of them came during Wednesday’s play-in victory over the Clippers when he contributed 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in 28 minutes and looked like a natural fit alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
“[Wednesday] honestly was a big step forward for me,” Porzingis said. “To have a game like this, it means a lot. To pull it out of somewhere, and it was there. Definitely a big step in the right direction.”
Rohlin notes that if Porzingis wants to remain with Golden State, he’ll likely have to accept a large reduction in salary. He made $30.7MM this season in the final year of an extension he got from Boston, but the Warriors are unlikely to offer him nearly that much on an annual basis. They’re also facing other roster decisions such as a potential extension for Curry and the possible trade of Green or Jimmy Butler in pursuit of a superstar.
Even with Porzingis’ frequent absences, Rohlin states that the team likes the way he fit in over the past two months and will have interest in keeping him if the money can be worked out.
“Kristaps was fantastic,” coach Steve Kerr said after Friday’s loss, which saw Porzingis struggle with ankle soreness. “He changed our team. The dynamic of having that floor spacing and shot-blocking.”
Suns’ Williams Out Friday; Porzingis Active For Warriors
The Suns received good and bad news on Friday, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Veteran guard Grayson Allen (left hamstring) was upgraded from questionable to available, but starting center Mark Williams (left foot soreness) was downgraded from questionable to out for Friday’s elimination game vs. Golden State.
As Rankin observes, Williams missed 15 consecutive games late in the regular season after sustaining a stress reaction in his left foot. Head coach Jordan Ott said the foot was bothering the fourth-year big man in the third quarter of Tuesday’s play-in loss to Portland.
“Just flared up,” Ott said. “Now we’re just waiting for the inflammation to calm down.”
Second-year center Oso Ighodaro will start in place of Williams (Twitter link via the team).
Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis also entered Friday’s game with a questionable tag. While his right ankle was “clearly bothering him” during warmups, the Latvian big man will suit up tonight, as Anthony Slater of ESPN reports (via Twitter).
Allen is under contract for two more years, while Williams (restricted) and Porzingis (unrestricted) are both heading for free agency this summer. Porzingis is also extension-eligible through June 30.
Warriors Notes: Curry, Green, Horford, Porzingis, Kerr, Payton
Vintage performances from Stephen Curry and Draymond Green sparked the Warriors to a comeback victory in Wednesday’s elimination game against the Clippers, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. As Anthony Slater of ESPN details, Golden State trailed by as many as 13 points with under 10 minutes remaining, but clutch shots from Curry — and clutch defense from Green — led the team to a play-in win.
“We came back every single time they made a run,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “An incredible display of guts and competitiveness and connection. Then obviously Steph and Dray took over down the stretch. Draymond is the best defender I’ve ever seen in my life.”
According to Slater, Green prevented Kawhi Leonard (21 points on 8-of-17 shooting, five turnovers) from attempting a field goal in the 12 half-court possessions he defended the Clippers star in the fourth quarter. Green sealed the victory with two steals in the final minute — one on on inbound pass which led to an and-one for Brandin Podziemski, and the other a clean strip of Leonard when the Clips were down six and desperate to score.
“They had a great game plan,” Leonard said, per Thompson. “Just being physical all game. Making sure I don’t get catch-and-shoot shots. Blasting every pick and roll. … And then, you know, Draymond, Hall of Fame defender. So, yeah, it was hard to even get shots off.”
Green has long relished the chance to compete against — and beat — the best players in the league, notes Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.
“There will never be a person that I would want to prove more to than myself,” said Green. “The same people that say I lost a step said I never had a step. They’re the same people that said I would never make it and I should be out the NBA and I ride a coattail. And the list goes on and on. Those are the same people. So ultimately, when you step on the floor, this is competition. You want to be your best.”
Here’s more on the Warriors, who will play at Phoenix on Friday to determine the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference:
- Curry shook off a rough first half (eight points on 2-of-9 shooting) and to deliver a sublime final two quarters, scoring 27 points (on 10-of-14 shooting) and dishing out four assists after halftime. The 38-year-old star showed why he was determined to return this season after a persistent right knee injury caused him to miss 27 consecutive games, as Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. “This is why Steph came back,” Kerr told reporters in Inglewood. “So, everybody out there who thought Steph should have taken the rest of the year off, this is what he does! This is who he is! If he can compete, he’s going to compete. And it was just incredible to watch.”
- Curry and Green had plenty of help to win Wednesday’s game, with Gui Santos (20 points, six rebounds, five assists), Kristaps Porzingis (20 points, five rebounds five assists, two blocks) and Al Horford all delivering in key moments. Horford’s contributions may have been the most unexpected, per Nick Friedell of The Athletic — the veteran big man was 0-for-3 from three-point range entering the fourth quarter, then converted all four of his attempts down the stretch. “Steph was in my ear,” said Horford, who returned to action from a calf strain with two games left in the regular season. “Draymond was in my ear the whole time, giving me that confidence and letting me know that I do that, that I’m capable of (that). And for me, that was a special moment that I shared with them there, and with our season on the line, it was pretty fitting.”
- Porzingis is listed as questionable for Friday’s game due to right ankle soreness (Twitter link via Slater). The impending free agent center was “limping a bit” after Wednesday’s victory, Slater writes.
- According to Slater (Twitter video link), Kerr isn’t expected to make a decision about his coaching future in the immediate aftermath of whenever the Warriors’ season comes to an end. For what it’s worth, Golden State’s longtime coach, who is on expiring contract, was euphoric after Wednesday’s win. “There’s a reason we have four championships,” Kerr said, per Slater. “With all the wins we’ve ever had here — a lot of them with a lot more at stake — this is right up there. Just because of where we are and our age and the decline of our performance this year and our injuries. It was just a beautiful display of competitive will.”
- In an interview with Mark Medina of RG.org, Gary Payton II discusses playing with Curry and Green and the news that Seattle is being considered for an expansion team. Payton, the son of SuperSonics legend Gary Payton, was born in the Emerald City. “It’s about time. Hopefully, I can get there before my career is over and put on a Sonics jersey,” the younger Payton said. “We’ll see how it plays out. But if not, it’ll be good to go up there and see some games.”
Warriors Notes: Kerr, Curry, Porzingis, Horford, Green
There’s still no clarity on Steve Kerr‘s future with the Warriors, Nick Friedell of The Athletic reports. Kerr has put off talk of another contract until after the season.
A team source told Friedell that nothing had changed in that regard. Kerr signed a two-year, $35MM extension in 2024 that expires after this season. Golden State, seeded 10th, needs to win two games to advance through the play-in tournament.
However, Kerr’s preference is to stay put. He’d like to continue to coach the Warriors and Stephen Curry despite a very trying season. Draymond Green says the front office and ownership won’t find a better coach than the one they already have.
“I think oftentimes in this league, everybody is always looking at the other side thinking it’s greener,” Green said, per Florito Maniego of NBC Sports Bay Area. “Then, when they get on the other side, they realize all the grass is brown, and it’s dead. And there’s no sprinkler system, and the sun doesn’t rise on that side, it only sets on that side. Then, everybody wants to look back, like, ‘Oh, man.’ Now you start this cycle of [hiring] four coaches in four years. You start this cycle of six coaches over eight years.
“The Warriors have been through that cycle, and nobody is trying to go through that again. So, as long as we have Steve Kerr wanting to coach this team, you’re not going to go and find a better coach, so that’s not a worry of mine or anybody in this organization.”
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- They are in a do-or-die situation in Wednesday’s play-in tournament contest with the Clippers. However, Kerr must remain mindful of how much he can use some of his regulars. Curry, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford will all play fewer than 40 minutes in the must-win game, according to ESPN. All three missed chunks of time during the second half of the season due to injuries or illness. ESPN’s Anthony Slater (Twitter link) notes that Curry has played 26, 25, 27 and 29 minutes in his four games back from his knee injury. Slater projects that something in the range of 34 minutes will likely be Curry’s cap on Wednesday.
- Curry remains optimistic that the Warriors can extend their season, according to Janie McCauley of The Associated Press. “I love playing basketball,” he said. “It’s what I get paid to do. … Our season’s been different than we expected, but the fact that there is something to still play for gives all of us a lot of confidence down the stretch to make something out it, and I want to be a part of that.”
- Green may not be the defensive force he once was, but he’s still the team’s anchor in that department, Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic notes. Green appeared in 68 games and was a steadying influence on a team often playing shorthanded. “You gotta be locked in, number one,” he said. “I think these will be very detailed game plans. The guys you want shooting, you’ve got to have them shooting. You’ve gotta stay locked in on your defensive responsibility. You can’t have defensive lapses. There’s just no space for defensive lapses in playoff games, man. So I think it’s a matter of everybody understanding what the game plan is and accomplishing it.”
Warriors Notes: Curry, Starting Five, Cryer, Moody
Star guard Stephen Curry passed Tim Duncan in total career points on Friday, moving into 19th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list (Twitter link). However, that was one of the rare bright spots in an underwhelming showing from the Warriors, who were beaten 124-118 by the Kings in Sacramento to drop to 37-44 on the season.
In addition to losing to a lottery-bound team, Golden State also got an injury scare when Curry turned his right ankle in the first half of the game and limped off the court. But he was able to return to action and ended up playing 27 minutes, his highest total since returning from a knee injury that sidelined him for two months.
While the two-time MVP didn’t have a great night, scoring just 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting, head coach Steve Kerr said after the game that the ankle won’t be an issue going forward (Twitter video link via Anthony Slater of ESPN). According to Kerr, even though Golden State is locked into the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference standings entering the play-in tournament, Curry will play on Sunday vs. the Clippers. The veteran guard’s health is the team’s top concern, but getting him into a rhythm following a long injury layoff is important too, Kerr told reporters.
For his part, Curry said he’s hoping to play his “normal minutes” on Sunday, which could mean bumping him up to 32 or more, Slater notes (Twitter video link).
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Curry started alongside Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, Draymond Green, and Kristaps Porzingis on Friday vs. Sacramento. It was the first time this season that those five players started together, but Kerr sounded enthusiastic about using that starting five during next week’s play-in game(s), referring to it as “enticing” and noting that the lineup features a good amount of versatility, ball-handling, and shooting (Twitter link via Slater). Although Golden State lost on Friday, that group outscored the Kings by a score of 29-16 in just over eight minutes together and Podziemski scored a career-high 30 points.
- Warriors two-way guard LJ Cryer appeared to be in a lot of pain when he injured his right ankle during Thursday’s game vs. the Lakers and had to be helped off the court (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area). Fortunately, he seems to have avoided a serious injury. The team announced on Friday (via Twitter) that Cryer has been diagnosed with a mild ankle sprain and will be reevaluated in one week. He won’t be playoff-eligible on his two-way deal, so his season is almost certainly over, but his contract covers the 2026/27 season too.
- Warriors wing Moses Moody spoke to reporters on Friday for the first time since being diagnosed with a torn patellar tendon last month. According to Nick Friedell of The Athletic (Twitter link), Moody was in “good spirits” and expressed confidence about his ability to recover and return to his previous level of play. He has been in contact with Warriors broadcaster Kelenna Azubuike, who sustained the same injury during his own playing career.
Warriors Notes: Horford, Porzingis, Curry Brothers, Bassey
Veteran big man Al Horford, who is recovering from a right soleus (calf) strain, will miss his 14th consecutive game on Thursday. However, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said Horford went through a 5-on-5 scrimmage on Wednesday and is optimistic the 39-year-old will be active for Friday’s game vs. Sacramento, as Nick Friedell of The Athletic tweets.
Golden State’s longtime coach is also hopeful Kristaps Porzingis (general illness injury management, right knee soreness) will return to action on Friday. Porzingis was out Tuesday and will miss Thursday’s matchup with the Lakers as well.
As for Stephen Curry, Kerr said the star guard is doing well and will play Friday, Friedell adds (via Twitter).
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Curry and Porzingis were only able to play nine minutes together during Sunday’s loss to Houston, partly because Porzingis fouled out after 23 minutes. Seeing how the two players fit together will be critical ahead of Porzingis’ impending free agency, writes Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard. “I thought we have a lot more to prove out there,” Curry said. “I know he was in foul trouble all night. But there were a couple possessions — they tried to blitz me, get somebody in the pocket, KP’s spacing the floor, the defense has to make a decision. So, more of those reps will be great, not just for me and him, but for all of us to continue to build chemistry.”
- Curry and his younger brother Seth Curry finally shared the court together on Sunday for the first time in an injury-plagued season for both players, according to Friedell of The Athletic. Steph, who called it a “special” day, said it was the first time they’d played together since high school. “It’s a dream come true,” Seth said. “We’ve played against each other for a while now. For us to be on the same floor together as teammates was a different dynamic, and I’m sure everybody was watching on the East Coast — (our mother) was over there sneaking pictures when we were both in the hall trying to get loose. She was really excited.”
- Fifth-year center Charles Bassey earned praise from Kerr and Draymond Green after just two games with the team, per Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. The Nigerian big man finished Tuesday’s win with 14 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and two blocks and was plus-nine in 27 minutes. “It means a lot, man, to have this opportunity,” Bassey told NBC Sports Bay Area. “I’m just trying to use this because, you never know when your chance will come. It means a lot just being here. They gave me this opportunity, and it means a lot to me, my family and the team.”
Pacific Notes: LeBron, Curry, Post, Horford, Ott
After Lakers star LeBron James made disparaging comments about Memphis on a YouTube show this week, he may have alienated a couple of other fan bases on Saturday, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Given a chance to clarify his statements about the city and his feeling that the Grizzlies should move to Nashville, James pointed out to reporters that he criticized the Bucks‘ hometown as well.
“Milwaukee was, too. Did they miss that one, too? They didn’t see that?” James said. “Forty-one years old, it’s two cities I do not like playing in right now. That’s Milwaukee, and that’s Memphis. What is the problem?”
James was reacting to a question about NBA travel, telling the host that “it just wears on you more” at his age. The Akron, Ohio, native also listed Cleveland as one of the cities he doesn’t enjoy visiting, which probably comes as a surprise to Cavaliers fans.
“I don’t like going home either … and I’m from there,” he said. “People are ridiculous. They also get mad at my son (Bronny) being on the (Lakers), too. So what are we talking about? People need to figure out other ways to put their energy to other things that’s important. Like seriously? I’m not talking about the city, like the people in Memphis. I don’t like staying at the Hyatt Centric. What’s wrong with that? Nothing! What are we talking about? … People need to chill the hell out.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Warriors are likely stuck in 10th place, but there’s optimism that the season can be saved with Stephen Curry expected to return Sunday after missing more than two months with a knee issue, per Noah Furtado of The San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required). “Now, Superman’s back,” Gary Payton II said, “so we’ll figure it out with that.” After being out of action since January 30, Curry is looking forward to teaming up with Kristaps Porzingis, who wasn’t acquired until the trade deadline in February. “I was telling him, I don’t know how people are going to guard our pick-and-roll,” Curry said. “Anytime you have talent like that and two guys that can demand attention, it’s always a good thing, to create good offense and help elevate whoever we’re out there with.”
- The Warriors say Quinten Post, who’s sidelined with soreness in his right foot, is making progress and will be reevaluated next week, relays Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link). Al Horford is also set for a reevaluation next week and seems to be getting close to returning before the regular season ends, adds Nick Friedell of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- Jordan Ott picked up his first technical foul as Suns head coach in Thursday’s loss at Charlotte, notes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. His players weren’t sure if he might make it through all 82 games without one. “I’ve been waiting all season for him to get one,” Royce O’Neale said. “I think it was right timing. Moments like those help us get a boost of energy. Just shows that he got our back in every situation.”
Free Agent Notes: Porzingis, Yabusele, Sharpe, Valanciunas
Although multiple reports have suggested Kristaps Porzingis appears to be leaning toward re-signing with the Warriors, he declined to commit to staying with Golden State after Thursday’s loss to Cleveland. The Latvian center is extension-eligible and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he doesn’t sign a new deal before then.
“It’s hard to say,” Porzingis told Nick Friedell of The Athletic. “Of course, it would be nice for me to go ahead and say, ‘Yes, I want to continue here,’ and this and that. But the reality is I didn’t have a good year at all. I barely showed what I’m capable of. And so I have to see what’s out there.”
Health issues have limited Porzingis to just 29 appearances thus far in 2025/26, and he’s averaging a career-low 24.0 minutes per game. He has been very productive when available, but he told The Athletic he’s not close to being at his peak performance.
“For me, I just wanted first to get to decent shape,” Porzingis said. “Take care of that. Which I am kind of working my way into. And then seeing the whole picture, kind of taking a step back, not to put too much pressure on myself. It’s been a year like that, and we’ll see.
“Honestly, the team is great here. I haven’t gotten a chance to play with Steph (Curry) yet, but the team is great, the city is great, the organization is fantastic. The only thing is the time difference with Europe — it’s 10 hours, it’s too much. But everything else, I enjoy it here.”
According to Friedell, Porzingis was joking about the time difference, but he was serious about his excitement to play alongside Curry. The 30-year-old big man also continues to praise director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini, and he said the relationship he has built with the training staff will factor into his decision this offseason.
“That’s definitely (something) I have to take into account,” Porzingis told Friedell. “I believe I’m in incredible hands here. And that means something. When you have a really strong staff with somebody like me, maybe that’s had some injuries throughout their career … to be in the best hands, it makes a difference for me to stay out there healthy.”
Here are some more notes on players who either will be or could be free agents in 2026:
- Guerschon Yabusele is expected to draw plenty of EuroLeague interest this summer and there has been speculation that’s why he declined his 2026/27 player option ($5.8MM) to facilitate a trade to the Bulls, but the French forward/center said on Friday that his priority is to stay in the NBA, per K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter links). “My main goal is to stay in the NBA for sure,” Yabusele said. According to Johnson, the Bulls value Yabusele’s “work ethic and positivity,” which the former first-round pick displayed when he was asked about his erratic role with the Knicks. “I always say, if that was Coach (Mike Brown)’s decision, that was coach’s decision. I just respect it,” Yabusele said. “I worked hard and tried to be the best version of me. Nothing but love for New York.”
- The Nets hold a $6.25MM team option on center Day’Ron Sharpe for next season. He told Brian Lewis of The New York Post he’s unsure what the club has in store for him (Twitter link). “I don’t know. Whatever the team has planned for me, that’s what they’ve got,” Sharpe said. The 24-year-old big man, who has drawn praise from head coach Jordi Fernandez, is recovering from season-ending thumb surgery. He said he plans to continue to work on his body this summer and is eager to add a three-point shot to his arsenal as well (Twitter link via Lewis).
- Longtime center Jonas Valanciunas has been out of the Nuggets‘ rotation of late, but it’s not affecting his attitude in the locker room, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “I would say he has been as professional as you can be in this situation,” head coach David Adelman said. “And professional in our game means he should be pissed off — and he was — because he wants to play and help the team. Not because it’s about him. … He’s been great on the bench. He’s been great in film sessions. He’s worked out extremely hard. He’s done everything you ask of somebody to do. So I have complete trust in Jonas.” The Lithuanian big man was repeatedly linked to Greek EuroLeague team Panathinaikos last summer and only $2MM of his $10MM salary for next season is currently guaranteed. “I will stay ready. What am I gonna say?” Valanciunas told The Denver Post when asked about Denver going a different direction. “Am I pissed off? … As long as we’re winning the game, you know. I’m here if you need me. I’m here. I’m gonna do everything (I usually do). So it’s simple as that.”
Warriors Rumors: Kawhi, LeBron, Porzingis, Kerr, More
There’s a significant amount of curiosity around the NBA about what the Warriors will do this offseason, writes Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
According to Stein, Golden State made a “determined trade run” for Clippers star Kawhi Leonard in the final hour before the February 5 deadline. Los Angeles wasn’t interested in moving Leonard at the time, but the Warriors may revisit that concept this summer.
Rival teams also view the Warriors as “one of the few credible destinations” for Lakers star LeBron James, who will be a free agent this summer, Stein notes.
“It has some legs,” one league source told Stein.
League insiders had already been anticipating that the Warriors would re-sign Kristaps Porzingis this summer, per Stein, and that expectation has increased after the Latvian big man recently praised Rick Celebrini, Golden State’s director of sports medicine and performance.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Appearing on the Warriors Plus Minus podcast with Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, Nick Friedell of The Athletic said he believes Porzingis will be on the roster in 2026/27. “I absolutely, as we’re sitting here right now, believe that Porzingis and the Warriors will work something out where we will see him again next season in a Warriors jersey,” Friedell said (hat tip to HoopsHype).
- Friedell also weighed in on the future of head coach Steve Kerr, whose contract expires after the season. “Stephen Curry wants Steve Kerr,” Friedell said (transcription via HoopsHype). “I’ve been asked repeatedly: ‘Do you think Steve’s coming back?’ I absolutely do because I think this team, especially because of what we’ve been talking about now tonight on this episode, they want to go for it. There’s not another person you’re going to plug in that’s going to take them to some other spot more than Steve Kerr. Plus the fact that Steph wants him and they have a partnership for all these years.“
- In a column for The San Francisco Standard, Kawakami argues the Warriors should pursue either Leonard or James this summer. Kawakami says there are rumblings that the NBA might void the final year of Leonard’s contract, which will pay him $50.3MM in 2026/27, as part of the punishment for the ongoing investigation into the Clippers allegedly circumventing the salary cap to sign the 34-year-old forward. In Kawakami’s scenario, the Warriors would try to re-sign Draymond Green and Porzingis to two-year, $40MM contracts, which would open up the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign either Leonard or James, assuming they’re open to taking a major pay cut (the MLE is projected to start at $15.05MM next season).
Pacific Notes: Green, Curry, Porzingis, Suns, Jackson
Draymond Green says longtime Warriors teammate Stephen Curry shouldn’t try to return this season if he has “an inkling of doubt” about the condition of his right knee, “but if he’s healthy and he can play” then Curry has Green’s full support as he works toward a comeback, Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle writes in a subscriber-only story.
A report on Friday stated that Curry will be reevaluated in another week to see if his knee has progressed enough to make a return realistic. Green added that every player wants to excel in the postseason — the 38-year-old Curry may not have many more opportunities at this stage of his career.
“You just know he wants to play,” Green said. “He wants to be out there. … But I think where you get a little worried and you know he wants to come back and he hasn’t. That’s when you start looking at the clock tick … not from a standpoint of like, ‘Yo, when’s he coming back?’ But just like — I know he’s working to get back, and if not now, then what’s going on? I think you more so get a little worried but not from a standpoint of, ‘He’s going to save the day.’ (But) from a standpoint of like, ‘Oh, man. Your brother down. What the hell is going on?’”
Curry’s absence, combined with season-ending injuries to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, have left the Warriors a shell of what they were earlier in the season. They’re currently 10th in the West at 36-38 and may have to win two games to advance out of the play-in tournament, but there’s still a glimmer of hope if Curry returns. In the meantime, Green has accepted the mantle of on-court leader.
“You just can’t be the guy that quits when it gets tough,” he said. “I’ve had some incredible years here. Been a part of some incredible teams. … When that stuff is happening, you want to be at the forefront of it. You want to embrace it, enjoy it, all those things. It’s great. But when it goes a little left, you can’t jump off the train. You can’t walk around and pout. You can’t throw in the towel — or what was everything you did before?”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Kristaps Porzingis led the way with 28 points on Friday as the Warriors defeated Washington for their first three-game winning streak in more than two months. Porzingis was 5-of-11 from three-point range, even though he’s dealing with pain in his shooting wrist, Gordon adds in a separate story. “Honestly, it’s not feeling good,” Porzingis said after practice Thursday. “I kept shooting, except it goes in anyway. Once I get it right, right, you’re going to see — there’s a difference for sure.”
- Suns big man Oso Ighodaro credits “mental will” for helping him play every game so far this season, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Ighodaro worked to build up his body during the offseason in hopes of becoming the first Phoenix player to be active for all 82 games since Mikal Bridges. “The preparation I put into my body this summer and my preparation in the weight room,” Ighodaro said. “God willing I can continue it and continue to play every game this season.”
- Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams were both able to play five-on-five Saturday for the first time since being injured, Rankin tweets. Brooks has been sidelined since February 21 with a fracture in his left hand, and Williams has been out of action since March 3 with a third metatarsal stress reaction in his left foot. “Good start. Everything is headed in the right direction,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said.
- Clippers backup center Isaiah Jackson is questionable for Sunday’s game at Milwaukee due to a sprained right ankle, according to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).