The Warriors short rotation may start to have telling impact on team

The Golden State Warriors have lost two games in their four-game East Coast road trip, and the short rotation may be starting to cause some issues.

With both their big men hurt, center Marquese Chriss out for the season and guard Klay Thompson out along with Jordan Poole in the G-League bubble, the Warriors don’t have several players and are playing with only about ten active players.

That has to be causing some issues for their energy on a nightly basis. Realistically, that number drops down to eight when you think that Mychal Mulder, Damion Lee, Brad Wanamaker (when Curry does play as he missed the game against Charlotte), and others aren’t getting too many minutes.

The Dubs are playing about a nine-man rotation, and it’s been brutal on the team’s energy. While the defensive efforts have been there on most nights, the team gave up 124 points to the Magic and then another chaotic 100-plus performance to the Hornets.

This type of play is sustainable with Curry leading the way, but that doesn’t mean these long trips aren’t taking their toll on the team. With James Wiseman and Kevon Looney both hopefully to return soon, their play should give some much-needed rest to players like Draymond Green.

After back-to-back losses against teams that they really should beat, the Warriors will have a nice two-day rest, and then they’ll get back on the road, taking on the Knicks and Pacers in back-to-back games.

Those will be another two winnable games prior to getting one back in the Chase Center.

Long roadtrips aren’t easy, and without Stephen Curry against the Hornets, the Warriors were forced to play Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr. big-time minutes. The Warriors only saw nine players get minutes against the Hornets.

Their ten-man rotation has been brutal for their rotation. While Curry is helping keep this team in playoff position, the injury bug is wrecking havoc on their depth, and it may caught up with them later in the season.