The Golden State Warriors welcomed Stephen Curry back to the court on Sunday night against the Houston Rockets, but any sense of relief was short-lived.
On Monday, the team received another blow to its injury-riddled roster ahead of Tuesday’s home matchup against the Sacramento Kings.
Gui Santos Ruled Out With Pelvic Contusion
Gui Santos will miss Tuesday’s game against the Kings due to a pelvic contusion, according to ClutchPoints’ Kenzo Fukuda. The injury occurred on March 29 when Denver Nuggets wing Christian Braun accidentally kneed Santos in the Warriors’ loss in Denver.
Santos sat out the following game against the San Antonio Spurs but had returned for Golden State’s last two contests. He was seen participating in Monday’s practice and appeared to be moving well, yet the lingering pain from the contusion has forced him to the sidelines for at least one more night.
The timing could not be worse. Since January 20, Santos has missed just one game and has quietly become one of the Warriors’ most dependable and versatile contributors off the bench. His absence creates a noticeable hole in the forward rotation at a critical juncture, as Golden State attempts to build momentum and chemistry heading into the play-in tournament.
A Frontcourt Crisis Deepens
The bad news doesn’t stop with Santos. Kristaps Porzingis is listed as questionable with knee soreness, while both Al Horford and Quinten Post have already been ruled out. Stephen Curry is officially probable after playing 26 minutes in his return from a 27-game absence on Sunday.
If Porzingis is unable to play, the Warriors’ frontcourt will be dangerously thin. Malevy Leons and Charles Bassey would be the primary big-man options, forcing Draymond Green to log even heavier minutes at the forward spots.
Bassey made a promising debut on Sunday, posting five points, four rebounds, and two blocks in limited action. Tuesday’s game offers him another chance to prove his value as the Warriors search for reliable bodies up front.
What It Means for Golden State
With only four games remaining before the play-in tournament begins, the Warriors are no longer in the hunt for a better seed. The gap to the ninth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers is too wide to close. Instead, the focus has shifted entirely to preparation — finding the right lineups, building rhythm, and sharpening habits ahead of what will essentially be a do-or-die elimination game next week.
Santos’ absence is particularly painful in that context. The Brazilian forward has earned a prominent role in Golden State’s best lineups alongside Curry. Every minute he misses is a missed opportunity to fine-tune those critical combinations.
In his place, Nate Williams and Malevy Leons are expected to absorb most of the forward minutes. The Warriors will likely rely heavily on small-ball, three- and four-guard lineups — a strategy that might be workable against the Kings but could prove risky once the high-stakes play-in games arrive.
Final Word
The good news is that Santos is not expected to miss extended time. With the play-in still a week away, there remains hope he will be ready when it truly matters most.
For now, Tuesday night is about survival: getting Curry more meaningful minutes, keeping the ship afloat, and simply getting through another injury-plagued game.
The real season — the one that decides everything — starts soon enough. The Warriors just have to make it there in one piece.