The injury bug is not on the side of the Steve Kerr-led Golden State Warriors after their early exit in the NBA In-Season Tournament. Gary Payton II was the first guard to go down in their loss to the Sacramento Kings. Now, another leader, Chris Paul, suffered an unfortunate fate before they square off against the stacked Los Angeles Clippers roster.
Chris Paul will not be with the Warriors once they face the Clippers, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. He suffered a nerve injury to his lower leg which is a huge blow to Steve Kerr's guard rotation.
Paul has been the leader for the young Warriors bench and acts as their pseudo-coach in the face of broken plays. However, he was not able to show out as much when they faced the Kings. His meager three points in five minutes were not as impactful but his IQ on the court makes the difference when they face tough teams.
Now, Kerr will be left with a thin rotation in their guard spots. Moses Moody, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry were the only Warriors who have been staples throughout the season. Cory Joseph has shown promise of being an all-around defender and playmaker throughout the season. He notched four points along with three assists and three rebounds in just eight minutes of playing time.
Overall, a lot of Warriors need to step up. Their record of just eight wins has put them below .500 and they will need a lot of wins before the holidays hit. A step in the right direction would be winning over the Clippers without Paul and Gary Payton II.