Forward Casspi expected to return against Dallas
MEMPHIS — Undoubtedly, the biggest potential obstacle that could derail the Warriors’ championship-or-bust season is injury.
As Celtics forward Gordon Hayward’s gruesome fractured tibia on opening night underscored, even a championship contender isn’t immune from a season-altering injury. Staying healthy was a driving force behind Golden State’s 2015 and 2017 NBA titles. Though their latest title defense is still in its infancy, the Warriors remain relatively unscathed.
Forward Omri Casspi (left ankle sprain) was Golden State’s only player not available Saturday night in its 111-101 loss to the Grizzlies at FedEx Forum. Holding Casspi out was precautionary, head coach Steve Kerr said. The NBA’s only active Israeli-born player is expected to play Monday night at Dallas.
That news comes days after Warriors forward Draymond Green sustained what appeared to be a potentially serious knee injury, only to get cleared for Friday’s win at New Orleans. Andre Iguodala missed the Warriors’ preseason finale and season opener
with a strained back, but returned to post seven points, seven rebounds and four assists in 23 minutes against the Pelicans.
Thanks to such a healthy roster, Kerr must make difficult decisions. He activated point guard Quinn Cook, who signed a two-way deal with Golden State on Tuesday, for the second straight game Saturday and made center Damian Jones and forward Kevon Looney inactive.
Kerr is encouraged by progress from Jones and Looney, but can’t justify moving them up the depth chart; the threeheaded center of Zaza Pachulia, David West and JaVale McGee remains, and rookie forward Jordan Bell is getting minutes. As the third point guard, Cook offers backcourt depth.
Big crowds: Fresh off their
second NBA title in three years, the Warriors maintain a rock-star status not seen since Michael Jordan’s Bulls or Magic Johnson’s “Showtime” Lakers.
When Golden State’s team bus arrived at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, dozens of fans were waiting. The crowd was well into the hundreds when players boarded the bus that afternoon to head to the arena.
“Today was as wild as I’ve ever seen it,” said Kerr, who was a reserve guard on those Jordan-led Bulls teams of the 1990s. “It’s getting kind of crazy. It’s probably similar to most days, but maybe even more. Like today, I hadn’t seen what I saw today at the hotel. It was flattering. It’s fun. It’s much better than the alternative.”