The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets enter Thursday’s matchup at Toyota Center dealing with significant injuries that could affect both rotations.
Golden State arrives with a 31–30 record, holding the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Houston sits third in the West at 38–22 and has won two straight games entering the contest.
The Warriors will be without several key players, including Stephen Curry, who is sidelined with right patellofemoral pain syndrome. The veteran guard has been Golden State’s leading scorer this season, averaging 27.2 points per game while shooting 39.1% from three-point range.
Jimmy Butler is also out after undergoing surgery to repair a right ACL injury. The veteran forward had been averaging 20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists before the injury.
Golden State’s perimeter depth is further impacted by Moses Moody, who is sidelined with a right wrist sprain. Moody has averaged 11.9 points per game while shooting 40.2% from beyond the arc across 59 appearances.
Additional Warriors absences include Seth Curry due to left sciatic nerve irritation and Will Richard with a right ankle sprain. Kristaps Porzingis is also unavailable because of illness after appearing in just one game this season.
Gary Payton II is listed as questionable with a left ankle impingement. The defensive specialist has averaged 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds while providing perimeter defense in 55 games.
With multiple scorers unavailable, Golden State’s offense may rely more heavily on Brandin Podziemski and Draymond Green. Podziemski averages 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists, while Green contributes 8.4 points and 5.2 assists per game.
Houston is also managing several injuries ahead of the matchup. All-Star center Alperen Sengun is listed as questionable due to illness after averaging 20.5 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists this season.
Forward Jabari Smith Jr. is also questionable with a right ankle sprain. Smith averages 15.5 points and 6.8 rebounds while stretching the floor with a 36.8% mark from three-point range.
Starting guard Amen Thompson is another player to monitor after being listed questionable with a right ankle sprain. Thompson has been a key playmaker for Houston, averaging 17.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists.
The Rockets remain without veteran guard Fred VanVleet, who is recovering from ACL repair in his right knee. Veteran center Steven Adams is also out after left ankle surgery.
Houston’s offense continues to be led by Kevin Durant, who is averaging 26.3 points per game while shooting 51.0% from the field. The veteran forward has also contributed 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists across 57 games.
Thursday’s game marks the second meeting between the teams this season. Houston won the first matchup 104–100 on November 26 in San Francisco.
Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET in Houston as the Rockets aim to strengthen their playoff position while the Warriors look to remain in the Western Conference play-in race.
