The Golden State Warriors' injury troubles somehow continue to get worse. With Stephen Curry sidelined for at least four more games and the team struggling to stand their ground in the play-in seedings, things were already dire.
But with both Al Horford and Seth Curry leaving their matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday due to injury, the rotation continues to get thinner and thinner. There remains no definitive timeline for Curry's return, either.
At this point, Golden State's fate is sealed as a play-in team. They sit 8.5 games back of the sixth-seed. The only thing they have to fight for is seventh or eighth seed, which would allow them to escape a second game in the Play-In tournament and greatly increase their odds of advancing to the first round.
With Horford out, however, an unreasonable amount of responsibility now rests on Kristaps Porzingis' shoulders. He is now not only their most viable starting center but also, perhaps, their primary scoring option. At a time where the expectations for Porzingis should simply be to stay healthy and make whatever impact he can, he's been thrust into a role that might be too much for him to handle this season.
The Warriors are now dependent upon Kristaps Porzingis— and that's a scary thought
The Porzingis trade, at its core, was an upside bet. Golden State's coaching staff truly believed they could keep Porzingis healthy. If they could, they could re-sign him this offseason on a relatively cheap deal to fill the team's dire need at center.
Of course things did not initially go according to plan. Porzingis played just one game in a Warriors uniform before being sidelined by illness for six consecutive matchups. Since his return, however, he's looked solid. Over his last four appearances, he's averaged 15.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and three assists. Although he's shot just 28.6% from beyond the arc in that span, he's flashed a willingness to take shots that will force defenses to reckon with him on the perimeter.
Now, however, the Warriors no longer have the insurance of being able to start Horford in his place. While Brandin Podziemski and De'Anthony Melton have played well, Porzingis is possibly their most dynamic scoring presence.
Even if Porzingis can stay healthy, this is a scary place to be. Golden State needs to string together some wins to stay afloat in Curry's absence. It's unfair to put this pressure on Porzingis, who is essentially attempting to save his career over these last 16 games.
But it's the unfortunate reality both Porzingis and the Warriors must face as their injury struggles worsen.