The Golden State Warriors are, as Steve Kerr said Friday, “about as beaten up as any team I can ever remember.”
The injury report for Sunday’s game against the Knicks suggests he’s not exaggerating.
The Warriors have ruled out eight players. Here is a list:
Stephen Curry (knee)
Jimmy Butler (season-ending ACL tear)
Draymond Green (back)
Al Horford (calf)
Moses Moody (wrist)
De’Anthony Melton (knee)
Kristaps Porzingis (illness management)
Seth Curry (adductor)
Quinten Post, who left Friday’s game with an ankle injury, is listed as questionable.
If he’s out, the Warriors will have just five players on standard, non-10-day contracts available.
The Knicks have eight players listed as questionable, including starting small forward Josh Hart (knee), but at the time of publish they have just one player ruled out: shooting guard Miles McBride (sports hernia).
Warriors’ Depth Chart for Sunday
I’ve said the Warriors are thin at forward and center many times this season, but that would be an understatement for this game.
PG: Brandin Podziemski, Pat Spencer
SG: Gary Payton II, LJ Cryer
SF: Will Richard, Nate Williams
PF: Gui Santos, Malevy Leons
C: Quinten Post (questionable), Omer Yurtseven (signed to a 10-day)
Richard is listed on the Warriors website as a guard, which is accurate considering he’s 6’3″. But he’ll be playing small forward minutes on Sunday.
For center minutes, the Warriors could turn to Yurtseven, who is signing a 10-day contract with Golden State. Yurtseven hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since April 2024.
Yet he’s coming off a 36-point performance in the G League on Friday. The 6’11” big man will be motivated to earn himself a standard contract from this 10-day stint.
If Post can’t go, the Warriors will likely have Leons play some center minutes. At 6’9″, 210 pounds, Leons doesn’t have the height or strength to expertly anchor a defense, but he used his instincts and activity to do a decent job on Friday against the Timberwolves.
West Standings Update
The Warriors (32-34) enter Sunday 1.5 games behind the Clippers (34-33) for eighth place in the Western Conference standings. They lead the Trail Blazers (32-25) by a half game for ninth.
The Blazers play the 76ers (36-31) on Sunday. If the Warriors lose to the Knick (43-25) and the Blazers beat the Sixers, Golden State will be in 10th.
Only one team that finished 10th has won two road play-in tournament games to make the playoffs. It was the 2025 Heat, who then got swept in the first round by the Cavaliers.