December 6th 2024.
On Friday, the Warriors faced the Houston Rockets without their star players Steph Curry and Draymond Green. This was the first time this season that the team had to play without them, putting their touted depth to the test. However, Coach Steve Kerr remained optimistic and expressed hope that Curry and Green would be back on the court for their next game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
Unfortunately, Green had to miss his second consecutive game due to left calf tightness. The team conducted an MRI which showed that there was no structural damage, but his status for Friday's game was labeled as "questionable". Kerr mentioned that there was a possibility of Green playing, saying "I think it's possible that he'll play."
Meanwhile, Curry was given the night off after his impressive performance in the previous game against the Nuggets, where he scored 24 points and had 11 assists. He was listed on the injury report with a bilateral knee injury, the same injury that had forced him to sit out a game last week. Kerr explained that they couldn't risk playing Curry in every game during this stretch as he was in pain. He added that Curry looked more active and agile in the previous game, but they needed to help him get through this tough period. The same goes for Green, as Kerr didn't want to risk them missing weeks of play due to not properly managing their injuries.
Kerr also mentioned that Curry's plan was to play on Friday, but they would see how he feels after going through treatment. In an effort to break their five-game losing streak, Kerr made some changes to the starting lineup, with Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield starting in place of Curry and Green. Andrew Wiggins, who was listed as questionable with a right ankle injury, was expected to play.
Wiggins' ankle had been bothering him, but it hadn't kept him out of any games so far. Kerr hoped that he could continue playing through the pain and make some progress. The Warriors entered Thursday with a record of 3-1 without Curry and 0-1 without Green, but this was their first game without both players, along with De'Anthony Melton who had season-ending knee surgery. Overall, the team has a record of 23-39 when playing without Curry and Green, with only one win in four games last season.
Despite missing their star players, Kerr remained positive and said that he enjoys these types of games where the other players get a chance to showcase their talents. He added, "Obviously I'd rather have Steph and Draymond, but I always like seeing our other guys get opportunities." It was a true test of the Warriors' depth and Kerr was confident that his players would step up and deliver.
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