Inside The Warriors

Steve Kerr Gives Depressing Quote After 7 Warriors Ruled Out for Rockets Game

GPII was a late add to the list of players the Warriors won't have available
Steve Kerr
Steve Kerr | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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The Golden State Warriors have just 10 players active against the Houston Rockets, and three are signed to two-way contracts.

Seven of their 14 players with standard contracts are out.

Six were ruled out Wednesday, including Stephen Curry (knee), Moses Moody (wrist), Kristaps Porzingis (illness), Will Richard (ankle), Seth Curry (sciatica) and Jimmy Butler (season-ending ACL tear).

Gary Payton II was a late add to the out list with an ankle injury.

Before Thursday's game, Steve Kerr gave an honest and depressing assessment of the Warriors' injury woes.

"This is probably as beaten up a team as I’ve ever been around in my 12 years with the Warriors," Kerr said.

Warriors Have Major Issues on the Depth Chart

This is the Warriors' depth chart for Thursday's game:

PG: Brandin Podziemski, Pat Spencer
SG: De'Anthony Melton, LJ Cryer
SF: Gui Santos, Nate Williams
PF: Draymond Green, Malevy Leons
C: Al Horford, Quinten Post

Podz, Melton, Santos, Green and Horford are the confirmed starters. They will be supported by three players on two-way contracts in Cryer, Williams and Leons, one player who was on a two-way contract until February in Spencer and a second-year center taken 52nd overall in the 2024 draft in Post.

Meanwhile, the Rockets (38-22) will have most of their core players available. Alperen Sengun (illness), Amen Thompson (ankle) and Jabari Smith Jr. (ankle) are available after previously being listed as questionable.

It would be a massive upset if the Warriors (31-30) somehow pulled out this game.

Porzingis Update

Porzingis got a pregame workout in before Thursday's game.

Kerr said there is still no timeline for a return, but he said he's feeling better.

"Hopefully that bodes well for him playing soon," Kerr told reporters.

Porzingis will miss his sixth consecutive game on Thursday. He's played just one game since Jan. 7 due to Achilles tendinitis and various battles with an illness.

Moody Update

Kerr said before the game that Moody is day-to-day after injuring his wrist in Monday's game against the Clippers.

Prior to Thursday's game, Moody had played in 59 consecutive games.

He's scored in double figures in 20 of his last 21 games. In that stretch, he's averaging 15.1 points and shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from three.

It goes without saying that his absence will be felt immensely.

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Joey Akeley
JOEY AKELEY

Joey was a writer and editor at Bleacher Report for 13 years. He's a Bay Area sports expert and a huge NBA fan.

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