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Warriors’ Biggest Challenge Will be Injury Bug

By Pete Hernandez III

Dec 5, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry speaks to a team doctor after a facial injury occurred against Toronto Raptors in the second quarter at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry speaks to a team doctor after a facial injury occurred against Toronto Raptors in the second quarter at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /
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The NBA season is a grind and challenges come along the way, even for the NBA champs. The question is, when will the Golden State Warriors face their next challenge?

Through thirty-two games so far this season the Golden State Warriors hold an incredible record of 30-2.

Many of those victories were the result of dominating blow-outs, yet there were times where the defending champs appeared vulnerable against strong opponents. Through numerous challenges, the Warriors were able to persevere and come out with a win. They outlasted the Boston Celtics in double OT, avenged their first loss against the Milwaukee Bucks, and toppled the Cleveland Cavaliers in a hard-fought NBA Finals rematch on Christmas Day.

We all know the 82-game season is a grind, and there are sure to be more upcoming challenges for the Warriors squad. Where will the next challenge come from? It may appear sooner than later, and it’s not exactly an opposing team: it’s the injury bug.

Looking close ahead on Golden State’s schedule, they’ll face teams such as the Nuggets, Hornets, Lakers, and Trail Blazers. None of these teams appear to be dangerous on paper, and one could argue that the Warriors won’t face a challenge until late January, when they take on the likes of the Cavaliers, Bulls, and Spurs. However, as we recently witnessed when Golden State was outplayed by the Mavericks 114-91, if the injury bug hits this Warriors squad, they risk becoming vulnerable, no matter the opponent.

Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, and Leandro Barbosa have all been hit with nagging injuries, and without their presence we’ve seen the toll it has taken on the players when extra minutes are needed. We’ve also seen how their absence has affected the play of the team as a whole. Barnes, Ezeli, and Barbosa contribute on offense, but more importantly, are major factors on defense.

Dec 31, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after the Houston Rockets call a timeout in the second half at Toyota Center. The Warriors won 114 to 110. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after the Houston Rockets call a timeout in the second half at Toyota Center. The Warriors won 114 to 110. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /

However, when an injury hits your star player, it’s a huge blow to the team, and there is no stronger case than Stephen Curry and the Warriors. As we saw when Curry sit out the past two games, Golden State had to play a different ball game. Curry helps spread the floor and his talent and leadership on the court arguably cannot be replaced. We’ve seen Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and others step up when needed, but the Warriors is at their best when they have their unquestioned leader at the helm.

When the Warriors don’t have their most dangerous player on the court, the opposing team will take advantage, and the Mavericks illustrated that Wednesday night. For this reason, the Warriors need to ensure that they properly handle when it’s best to play and rest their players.

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As I saw the Warriors get outplayed by Dallas, I wasn’t overthinking the final score of the game. I knew that various key players were out for the Warriors, not just Curry. I realized that this was simply one of those games where the momentum was not in their favor and they were simply outplayed by a better team that night.

The thought that did run through my head was the possibility of this happening in a much more vital game. What if the Warriors were without their role players and lacked their unique depth right before the playoffs? Or what if they were tasked with winning Game 7 of the Finals as Curry watched on the sideline? That would be a challenge that’s tough to overcome, even for this Golden State squad.

The Warriors to tread carefully with the health of their players, because fighting the injury bug is already a challenge in the regular season, but come playoff time it could prove to be a tough obstacle to climb. The Warriors want to be fully healthy when the wins matter most, because for the Bay Area, 73 wins is less appealing than watching the Warriors raise the Larry O’Brien trophy once again.

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