The Golden State Warriors needed everything they could tonight, as the team prepares to host the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, but things haven’t gone their way. The Warriors’ best three players, including superstar guard Stephen Curry, are all sitting out tonight’s game. Before the matchup, head coach Steve Kerr addressed the media directly.

“Tweaked it the other night,” Kerr said of Curry’s injury in the pre-game conference. “Hopefully, giving him today (off) will help him, and he’ll be ready to go tomorrow. But we’ll see.”

The coach’s words did little to settle nerves, especially for a squad that is already shorthanded. Kerr prioritized the rest for Curry today, which marks the first day of a back-to-back, with the Warriors facing off against the Utah Jazz tomorrow. Curry has already shouldered a heavy load for the team this season.

Curry has remained productive despite being 37 years old and sitting out games periodically due to various injuries. Just a few weeks ago, he was sidelined due to a quadriceps strain, and after returning, he has been unstoppable.

In the nine games since, he has averaged 30.1 points per game, 4.8 assists, on trademark long-range efficiency.

The context also matters here. Due to the advanced age of most of their roster, the team has had to navigate various uneven stretches in terms of health, and Kerr has consistently focused on the long term.

With a tight schedule coming in January, preserving Curry’s availability, even in the face of a marquee game against the Thunder and possible league fine, carries weight.

That’s why Kerr’s tone stood out. He’s not sounding the alarm, but it’s not dismissive either. “Hopefully” and “we’ll see” can only go so far, and until the 2x MVP is back on the court, those words will linger in the mind of Dub Nation.

Golden State Warriors’ Depth Put to the Test as Injuries Thin Rotation vs. Thunder

The Warriors enter tonight’s game extremely shorthanded, with their list of unavailable players continuing to test the team’s already thin margin for error.

Injuries to Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and various other pieces have forced Steve Kerr to try to juggle lineups on a nightly basis while demanding more from role players.

Butler’s presence in particular leaves the Warriors without a stabilizing presence that the team has leaned on as a secondary creator and a go-to scorer. Jonathan Kuminga sitting out only worsens their problems.

Kuminga, who has been a healthy scratch from the rotation for the last five games, was expected to play, but his absence both stalls individual momentum and the team’s ability to add a paint scorer.

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This puts added strain on the team’s depth as they head into an extremely demanding matchup. Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and the second unit are going to be under the microscope tonight, not just for their production, but for the pressure that they will perform under tonight.

For Kerr and his staff, this game is as much an evaluation as a survival test to reveal who can step up when the rotation thins.