The Golden State Warriors are limping to the All-Star break, trying to hold their ground in the play-in tournament instead of being able to build momentum. Injuries have completely shifted the rotation, and the offense has relied heavily on three-point variance. With only two games left before the pause, this stretch is becoming about survival, and recently acquired center Kristaps Porzingis’ absence is only making things worse.

“We’ve got to lock in and go get that Memphis game on Monday,” head coach Steve Kerr said after the team’s tough 105-99 loss against the shorthanded Los Angeles Lakers today.

He continued, “We’ll be able to regroup after the break, hopefully get [Stephen Curry] and Kristaps [Porzingis] playing right after the break. We’re in a pretty good spot if we can get healthy and start to generate a little better offensive rhythm.”

Kerr admitted that his team is still navigating uncertainty, describing it as “in the forest now.” The All-Star break is a chance to finally breathe, reset, and hope that the team can recover. That reset hinges on health.

Porzingis has been dealing with POTS, an autoimmune disease, all season long, as well as left Achilles tendinitis, but the team has been confident that the center can return this season. Warriors director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini greenlit his trade from the Hawks earlier this week, explaining that his staff did their “due diligence” on the center in advance.

This, combined with Curry’s recovery from Runner’s Knee, should be enough to get the Warriors back on track to being competitive in the Western Conference. For now, there are other issues Porzingis can solve for the Warriors.

Kristaps Porzingis Is the Warriors’ Interior Fix, But Only If He Can Stay Healthy

After Jimmy Butler‘s ACL injury, Kristaps Porzingis has become the theoretical answer to the Warriors’ interior problems. Right now, the team doesn’t have the stabilizing scoring presence that Butler once provided, giving them a much better offensive floor for when the shots don’t fall. Their lack of interior presence showed tonight.

“I thought what hurt us tonight was the free throws; they got to the line 30 times,” Kerr said, referring to the Lakers tonight. “Outscored us by 17 points. That’s kind of the difference in the game.”

Defensively, his size matters as much. At 7’2″, he can deter drives and reduce the load on Draymond Green to sit in the paint instead of playing a roamer role, something he has previously pointed to as something he excels in. It also helps limit the foul trouble that has plagued the Warriors this season.

The extra free throws Kerr mentioned are usually the result of late rotations or smaller defenders, which he can easily address for the team. Offensively, he can stretch the floor while still being a go-to interior scorer, giving them more structure in half-court sets as a play finisher.

Of course, his fit was never the question. The undeniable caveat with Porzingis has always been his health, and a stint with the Warriors is a chance to prove he can stay on the floor long enough to make a difference.