The Golden State Warriors will be shorthanded on Wednesday vs. the Brooklyn Nets as they attempt to begin their first winning streak in over two months. With Jimmy Butler out for the season, Stephen Curry will miss his 23rd straight game due to a right knee injury. Meanwhile, Moses Moody (Left Patellar Tendon Rupture), Quentin Post (Right Foot Injury Management), Al Horford (Right Soleus Strain) and Seth Curry (Left Adductor Strain) are also sidelined.
Steve Kerr clarified the Warriors' stance on a potential Curry return during an interview on Wednesday.
“If we don't feel good about (his knee), then he's not going to play. We're not pushing him into anything if things aren't really clear,” Kerr said on 95.7 The Game.
The Warriors have been hit with injuries to several other rotation pieces amid Curry and Butler's absences.
Warriors attempting to keep pace in play-in race amid rash of injuries
Horford has missed the team's last six games due to a calf strain. Meanwhile, Moody ruptured his patellar tendon in his left knee during Monday's win over the Dallas Mavericks. Post has been tending to a right foot issue. Wednesday will mark his fifth absence since March 7.
The Warriors are 7-15 during Curry's absence. They rank 25th in offense, 23rd in defense and 22nd in net rating (-5.4) during that span.
Golden State holds a sizable lead for 10th place in the Western Conference standings. Kerr's squad is 1.5 games behind the Portland Trail Blazers in ninth and two games behind the Los Angeles Clippers in eighth with 10 games remaining.
Luckily for them, the Nets will also be severely shorthanded on Wednesday. Michael Porter Jr. is out with a hamstring strain, while Noah Clowney (right wrist sprain), Nolan Traore (rest), Danny Wolf (left ankle sprain), Day'Ron Sharpe (left thumb surgery) and Egor Demin (left plantar fascia injury management) are also out.
Brooklyn has lost its last eight games.
