Warriors ‘Thompson gets extra minutes, Green and Curry hurt

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Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors drives into the basket while D’Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves defends during the second half of the game at Target Center on January 16, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding / Getty Images)

The Golden Empire Warriors hasn’t received much good news since Klay Thompson’s return, but that at least changed a bit on Sunday night.

For the first time since returning to the NBA basketball court on January 9, head coach Steve Kerr relaxed Thompson’s game time limit, raising the limit from 20 minutes to 24 minutes. That’s the decision Kerr said a few days ago he was going to make.

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Anthony Slater, of The Athletic, posted Kerr’s comments online Friday.

“Steve Kerr says the ‘plan’ is to increase Klay Thompson’s minutes on Sunday. Not much. Maybe 20 to about 24,” Slater tweeted. “But Kerr said it was important to watch Klay play 10 minutes straight in the third half yesterday.”

Thompson ended up posting 23 minutes in one 119-99 holes against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team took down the Warriors 1-3 on their East pass. Thompson finished the night with 13 points from five of 14 shots, along with four rebounds and two assists.

Both Green and Curry are injured after Thompson’s return

GettyDraymond Green, of the Golden State Warriors.

Aside from Thompson’s increased minutes, the rest of the news for the Warriors this weekend ranged from bad to bleak.

It started with forward Draymond Green, the emotional leader of Golden State and one of the top defensive players in the entire NBA. Team doctors initially diagnosed Green with a calf injury, which the Warriors said he said worsened during a Jan. 9 game at Chase Center, shortly before the start of the same competition. that Thompson was prepared to return. At the time, the team had hoped that Green might be ready to move on after wrapping up a four-game trip at the Eastern Conference, but that didn’t happen.

Golden State announced on Sunday that Green’s wound is actually wider and his lower back.

The research team said in a statement Green was examined by specialists and had an MRI of his back.

“Evaluations indicate that soreness/tightness in his left calf is related to disc involvement in his lower back,” statement continues. “Draymond will receive physical therapy in the coming days and will continue to be monitored by the team’s medical and coaching staff. He will be reevaluated again in two weeks.”

Based on the timeline, Green’s absence from the team counts for at least eight games.

Curry came home early because of his hand injury

GettyGolden State Warriors star Stephen Curry lost the ball against the Chicago Bulls.

The Dubs road trip didn’t just cost them triplets and their spot at the top of the West. The health of the team’s MVP candidate, Steph curry, was also a victim of the Eastern Conference rotation.

Curry told media members he fell hard on his shooter during the previous team’s destructive win. Chicago Bulls Friday. He was not with the team on Sunday in Minnesota.

“Steph Curry left the Warriors road trip early. He’s back in the Bay Area with Rick Celebrini,” Slater tweeted. “The belief is that the wound on his hand is very light. Steve Kerr said the whole team expects him to play Tuesday with the Pistons. ”

Curry will have two days to recover from his injury before Detroit heads to town to kick off a seven-game home game in San Francisco that will end on January 29, when the Warriors meet the Brooklyn Nets.