SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors rested Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in Portland with hopes of being at full-strength for a high-stakes game against the Pelicans on Friday, but it didn’t work out that way.
Jonathan Kuminga and Gary Payton II, two valuable two-way contributors, were ruled out ahead of the New Orleans matchup in Chase Center. Kuminga suffered a right pelvic contusion against Portland and Payton has tightness in his left calf.
“He fell and bruised his tail bone,” Steve Kerr said of Kuminga. “He’s in a lot of pain. And with Gary, it’s a calf. Trying to be cautious with it.”
A win against the Pelicans Friday night, coupled with a win in Game 82 against the lowly Jazz, would give the Warriors a strong chance at reaching the eighth seed. In that scenario, the Warriors would have two chances to advance out of the play-in round and have a shot at avoiding the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first round.
But the Pelicans are tough, especially if you’re short-handed.
New Orleans is down star wing Brandon Ingram, but is otherwise healthy. They just cruised past Sacramento on Thursday night and have won three straight entering the Friday night contest.
Kuminga missed six straight games at the turn of the month with bilateral knee tendinitis, so this new injury is unrelated. Payton dealt with a calf injury earlier this season, but Kerr said he thinks his current ailment is on the other leg.
In a breakout season, Kuminga is averaging 16.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. For large parts of the year, he has been Golden State’s most consistent wing.
Depth is one of the Warriors’ strengths this year, but that will be tested without Kuminga and Payton. Moses Moody and Kevon Looney could see added playing time.
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Payton’s absence in particular could hurt the Warriors’ defense, which they’ve ridden to a 9-1 record in their past 10 games. Payton’s switchability and activity in the passing lanes make him a huge asset in any lineup.
“I love watching Gary play,” Kerr said recently. “There’s an energy about him. He also just makes the right play constantly.”
To keep their hopes of advancing up the play-in hierarchy alive, the Warriors will have to find that energy elsewhere.
“Obviously, we want to just win every game and put ourselves in the best spot possible,” Kerr said.