Warriors to compete against Knicks missing multiple veteran players
Following a disappointing conclusion to their homestand on Friday evening, the Golden State Warriors will be missing nearly all of their experienced players as they commence a road trip in New York on Sunday night.
The organization has ruled out Draymond Green, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, Seth Curry, and De’Anthony Melton for their featured matchup against the Knicks. Jimmy Butler, who tore his ACL in January, is sidelined for the remainder of the season. Stephen Curry is absent for his 17th consecutive game due to a lingering right knee issue.
“We’re going through it,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr stated. “We’re about as beaten up as any team I can ever remember.”
In the loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, Horford exited after just five minutes due to a calf strain, while Seth Curry limped to the locker room with an adductor strain. Both players are expected to be unavailable for some time.
Green, Porzingis, and Melton are listed out for injury management, indicating that the Warriors are choosing to rest their veterans ahead of this upcoming back-to-back against the Knicks. They will face a more manageable Washington Wizards team on Monday night. Green was ruled out with a lower back issue before the Minnesota game, but it is not considered serious.
In light of these developments, the Warriors are signing center Ömer Yurtseven to a 10-day contract, according to sources reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania. Yurtseven has participated in 113 career games with the Miami Heat and Utah Jazz. He recently joined the G League after a period in the Euroleague, where he recorded 36 points and 12 rebounds on Friday night.
The Warriors have suffered four consecutive losses, bringing their record to 32-34 and dropping them to the ninth position in the Western Conference, 8.5 games behind the sixth seed and only half a game ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers. They are starting a challenging six-game trip that will also include stops in Boston, Detroit, Atlanta, and Dallas.
