4 Warriors who simply must step up in absence of Stephen Curry

The Golden State Warriors are officially without Stephen Curry for Tuesday and Wednesday's home back-to-back against the New Orleans Pelicans, presenting a major challenge for the franchise following a positive start to the season.

No one is going to replace the 2x MVP by themselves, yet the Warriors will need a number of individuals to step up in the absence of not only Curry but also De'Anthony Melton who is out with a back strain.

4 Warriors who need to step up in Curry's absence

There's still question marks on what Steve Kerr will do with the starting lineup and rotation, but there's little doubt that a quartet of specific players are set to play significant roles in trying to keep Golden State afloat without their best player.

1. Brandin Podziemski

After an offseason of trade speculation and claims of star potential, Brandin Podziemski's first three games haven't quite gone according to plan. Whether inhibited by his broken nose and subsequent face mask or not, the 21-year-old's scoring hasn't been there as he's averaged just 6.3 points on 33.3% shooting from the floor and 7.1% from three-point range.

Now Podziemski will be handed the keys to the Warrior offense to some degree, with last year's 19th overall pick set to replace Curry as the starting point guard. Golden State desperately need more from Podziemski, particularly in regard to his shooting and scoring.

2. Jonathan Kuminga

If Podziemski hasn't quite fired to date, Jonathan Kuminga is another young player who's causing even more concern among Warrior fans. While he's had the starting small forward role he long desired, Kuminga has averaged just 8.0 points in 19.7 minutes on 33.3% from the floor and 11.7% from beyond the arc -- eerily similar numbers to Podziemski.

Many envisioned that the 22-year-old forward would be a 20+ point per game scorer for Golden State this season, and without Curry's offensive production, Kuminga will need to snap quickly out of his funk if his team want to stand a chance against the Pelicans.

3. Andrew Wiggins

After missing much of training camp and the first four games of preseason, Andrew Wiggins has made quite a remarkable return so far. The 2022 All-Star looks a far better version than the player we saw last season, having averaged 19.7 points and 6.7 rebounds on 55% shooting from the floor and 57.9% from three-point range.

Wiggins kept Golden State in Sunday's game with a scintillating 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting, but the challenge is now whether he can back it up and be the consistent go-to scorer the team needs in Curry's absence.

3. Draymond Green

While Curry was back in the locker room having his ankle attended to, fellow veteran Draymond Green was also watching on from the sidelines over the final eight minutes of the game -- not because of any injury, but because Kerr chose not to play him.

It was the right decision. Green wasn't his active self against the Clippers, finishing with two points, five rebounds and two assists in nearly 27 minutes. The Warriors will need the 4x All-Star near his best without his long-time teammate beside him, particularly if Green is asked to play more center minutes as Kerr tries to find more shooting on the floor.