© Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
OAKLAND — For the second straight game, the Warriors took the court with three All-Stars sidelined due to injury. Despite the attrition, the Warriors led the visiting Sacramento Kings for much of the contest, until the young Kings backcourt of De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield made clutch shots in the game’s final minutes.
The Kings defeated the Warriors, 98-93.
Right now, Golden State’s results are trivial in the grand scheme of the season. Golden State is firmly entrenched as a top-two seed in the Western Conference standings. What matters is the team’s stars getting much needed time to heal with the playoffs beginning in less than a month.
On Wednesday afternoon, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr found a silver lining. That amid all the injuries, many of the team’s complementary players would gain precious opportunities that would only benefit them later, when it matters most.
Point guard Quinn Cook is taking full advantage. Starting in place of the injured Stephen Curry once again, Cook finished with a career-high 25 on 10-13 shooting, including 5-7 from three-point range. Andre Iguodala seems fully recovered from a wrist injury that sidelined him for two games. Draymond Green returned from his one-game absence and delivered a Green-esque line of 14 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists.
But the prevailing storyline came before the tip.
About 30 minutes before Golden State took the court on Friday night, the team announced Kevin Durant has suffered an incomplete rib cartilage fracture. The Warriors said Durant will be reevaluated in two weeks.
The news came as a surprise, as Durant played on Wednesday night seemingly unhindered. But after originally hurting his ribs March 11, then re-aggravating them again on Wednesday night, he consulted the team doctors. The MRI confirmed the rib fracture.
Durant’s injury highlights a brutal string of bad luck. Stephen Curry has been sidelined for the past week with an ankle injury. Klay Thompson missed his second straight game with a fractured thumb.
Only to make matters worse, Warriors forward Omri Casspi went down with an ankle injury on Friday night and didn’t return.
None of these injuries figure to linger into the postseason, however, which is all that matters. Thirteen games remain until the postseason begins on April 14.
And although Golden State trails Houston by 2.5 games, Kerr doesn’t seem concerned about his team’s future seeding.
“It’s a harrowing experience,” Kerr jokingly said regarding the possibility of not securing the No. 1 seed. “I’m just trying to process it all. Second in the conference would just be devastating.”
Kerr paused, as laughter filled the press conference room, then gave a more serious response.
“We are in a good position, big picture, no matter what happens because our injuries are all relatively minor,” Kerr said. “We are very hopeful and confident that we will have everybody back when it counts.”
Assuming everyone comes back healthy, perhaps the current injuries will ultimately help Golden State, as it gives its complementary players valuable reps. After all, Cook and Nick Young wouldn’t have combined for 41 points and 76 total minutes in any other scenario.
Friday night ended in a loss, but it hardly hurts the Warriors in the long run.