(Game Thread) Curry back, more minutes for Klay, Payton upgraded to probable
(Game Thread) Curry back, more minutes for Klay, Payton upgraded to probable
Andre Iguodala downgraded to questionable, but Moody recalled from G League
For some of these game threads, there’s nothing much to update, but for today’s game against the Detroit Pistons, the Golden State Warriors handed out a full article’s worth of updates.
GAME DETAILS
WHO: Golden State Warriors (31-12) vs. Detroit Pistons (10-32)
WHEN: Tuesday January 18, 2022 // 7:00pm PDT
WATCH: NBCSBA
The biggest news is that Stephen Curry is fully back from the hand injury scare that sent him home early from the team’s recent road trip. He’s not even listed at all on the Warriors’ most recent injury report, so the team is fully confident in Curry’s return. That’s great news.
Along the same lines of goodness, details are trickling in on Draymond Green’s tricky injury situation. Coach Steve Kerr implied last week that there was an element of caution in the team’s handling of the injury, and now General Manager Bob Myers provided some encouraging words on the radio this morning.
And another dollop of good news, it looks like Gary Payton is trending back towards availability as well. Payton, who has been out with back tightness after a fall against the Milwaukee Bucks, is being upgraded to “probable” for tonight’s game.
And finally, on to the second Splash Brother.
Klay Thompson has been out for so long that just having him back on the court has felt like a victory. But the truth is that Thompson’s first step into the starting lineup was just one amongst many steps that he’ll need to take prior to being back back.
So it’s fantastic news that there have been no setbacks of any kind. Thompson’s minutes are going to slowly continue to ramp up as the full power of this iteration of the Warriors comes back online over the next few months.
Tough road ahead for Poole. As a starter, Poole gets to work with a 5 man ensemble with Curry's gravity. His job being Curry's primary back-up is a much tougher job. He has to direct the offense, find ways to get teammates involved, and spearhead the second unit scoring. What some view as a demotion is really a move up in terms of responsibility. It's a little bit like mid-management, more responsibility and less job satisfaction. And because the starting and second units in flux until everyone healthy, you won't have a consistent second unit until late in the regular season. So this is the next level for Poole. We know he has the talent. Now he needs to learn how to use his talents while shouldering the responsibilities that come with leading the 2nd unit which is likely to be changing nightly until the latter part of the season. Poole has a tough job ahead, but I think he is up for the challenge.
That first half of old-timey Splash Bros was just a taste. And hats off to the team discipline and adherence to their defensive principles. Klay looks better than great. Curry finding a bit more joy. Solid Wiggs. Kuminga smiling like the Cheshire Cat. Belly acting Serbian again. And I keep saying, everyone is sleeping on Wiseman. Nothing but good things to look forward to. Damn, I love this team. Buenos Noches nation.