Aside from Jonathan Kuminga‘s slow recovery from ankle sprain that is dragging for more than two months now, the Golden State Warriors are also navigating another injury to their key rotation player.
Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski is listed as questionable in the NBA official injury report against the Detroit Pistons this Saturday, March 8, at the start of their seven-game home stand.
Podziemski suffered a back injury in the opening minute of their come-from-behind 121-119 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, March 6.
The sophomore guard went straight to the locker room and never returned. Though Golden State coach Steve Kerr was not overly concerned about Podziemski’s injury after they pulled off their largest comeback win of the season.
“Doesn’t appear to be serious,” Kerr told reporters. “Day-to-day.”
Podziemski is averaging 10.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists this season.
The second-year guard has the third-highest plus-minus in the Warriors’ roster at plus-170 behind their top stars Stephen Curry (+198) and Draymond Green (+204), per Statmuse. Since he became a full-time starter next to Curry in the backcourt in eight games before his ill-timed injury in Brooklyn, Podziemski averaged 14.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals.
Podziemski is also a staple of the non-Curry Warriors lineup alongside their trade deadline acquisition Jimmy Butler.
Who Will Step Up if Brandin Podziemski Misses Time?
Buddy Hield subbed in for Podziemski while Gui Santos got a bump in playing time against the Nets.
Hield, however, was a non-factor as he missed all of his eight shot attempts and finished scoreless in 23 minutes. Worst, he was minus-11. In contrast, Santos was a plus-12, contributing six points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal in 24 minutes, his most playing time since January.
Gary Payton II, who had 16 points and nine rebounds against the Nets, will also see an increased role if Podziemski misses time.
Jonathan Kuminga Out Against Pistons
Kuminga will miss his 30th game with the Warriors, listing him out against the Pistons.
Golden State coach Steve Kerr is cautiously optimistic but hinted that Kuminga’s return from his two-month absence isn’t happening this weekend.
“It seems like he’s getting closer. … Scrimmage is good, but he has to feel right. He has to feel explosive. He has to feel healthy and you can’t rush that process,” Kerr said, per San Francisco Chronicle.
A day before they beat the Nets, Kerr explained why Kuminga’s recovery has been slow.
“There’s no setback,” Kerr said on “Willard and Dibs” show on 95.7 The Game on Tuesday, March 5. ‘The injury itself was, I think, more serious than anybody realized, and some of these things you just can’t predict. That’s one of the things I’ve learned during my time as coach, working with Rick (Celebrini) and the performance staff. There’s no exact recipe for these injuries, and everybody heals differently.
“And I think, as it’s turned out, JK’s injury was more of a setback than we realized in the beginning, and he’s working hard. He’s working every day at a really good workout today, and it does feel like he’s getting close. But we just got to do the right thing, and that’s what we’re all trying to do.”
