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Warriors-Nuggets Injury Report Features 3 Dubs Rotation Players, 1 Denver Starter

Golden State gets some important players back for Monday's game

Gui Santos | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Golden State Warriors will be getting back Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Draymond Green and Al Horford for Monday's game against the Denver Nuggets.

They have three other rotation players on the injury report, though.

Gui Santos left Saturday's loss to the Suns in the third quarter with left knee tendinitis. He's listed as questionable.

Meanwhile, Brandon Williams (lower back soreness) and Charles Bassey (knee tendinitis) are probable.

For the Nuggets, starting forward Cameron Johnson (ankle) and guard Alpha Diallo (wrist) are doubtful, while forward Spencer Jones (hamstring) and guard Julian Strawther (knee) are out.

Santos Being Out Would Put Dubs in Wing Bind

The Warriors have already resorted to playing three-guard lineups when Santos is healthy.

It would be essentially guaranteed that Steve Kerr would go to them if Santos is out.

That's mainly because the Warriors are so thin at the forward and center spots.

This could be Golden State's depth chart against the Nuggets if Santos can't go:

PG: Curry, Williams (probable), LJ Cryer
SG: Podz, De'Anthony Melton, Will Richard, Gary Payton II
SF: Yaxel Lendeborg
PF: Draymond Green, Georges Niang
C: Graham Ike, Al Horford, Charles Bassey (probable)

Even if Lendeborg and Green play heavy minutes at forward, it will be difficult for Kerr to avoid any three-guard lineups.

Even if the Warriors had all of their players healthy, they'd have issues defending Nikola Jokic and Co. Having to contain Denver's offense with size issues all over the court will be challenging to say the least.

Keep an Eye on Warriors' Center Rotation

Before the season started, it would have been impossible to guess that Ike would start two of the Warriors' first three games.

All that had to happen was a) Kristaps Porzingis being out indefinitely with a health issue, b) Bassey being limited by knee tendinitis, c) Steve Kerr deciding he'd rather have Green at the 4 and Horford off the bench for the second game and d) the Warriors sitting out Green and Horford entirely for the third game.

For Monday's game, Kerr has a number of starting center options.

He could reward Ike for his solid play by starting him again. He could go with Bassey, who was more impressive than Ike in the preseason and someone I believe the Dubs will eventually start. He could go with Horford, who at least has some real experience guarding Jokic. Or he could go small with Green at the 5, which feels more unlikely than the rest.

Perhaps the more important questions are who will play the most and will all three play?

Whatever Kerr does, he has to find somebody who can at least make things difficult for Jokic.

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