A Season on Life Support
The Golden State Warriors entered the 2025-26 season with championship aspirations. They had Stephen Curry, the greatest shooter in NBA history. They had Draymond Green, the defensive anchor and emotional heartbeat. They had Jimmy Butler, the playoff-tested veteran acquired to push them over the top.
Now, on a Friday night in March, they have none of them.
As the Warriors prepare to host the Minnesota Timberwolves at Chase Center, the starting lineup reads like a preseason exhibition: Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, and Kristaps Porzingis.
That’s not a championship contender. That’s a skeleton crew.
Warriors’ Starting Lineup vs Wolves After Draymond Green News
Curry is out with a knee injury, not expected to return for at least another 10 days. Butler tore his ACL in January and is done for the season—and might miss significant time in 2026-27 as well. And now Green, the heart and soul of the defense, has been downgraded from questionable to out, ruled inactive just an hour before tip-off due to injury management.
The Warriors are 32-33. They’ve lost three straight. They’re clinging to the ninth seed in the Western Conference by the thinnest of margins. And they’re about to face a 40-26 Timberwolves team that’s desperate to snap its own losing streak.
Let’s break down where the Warriors stand, what this injury crisis means, and whether there’s any hope left for a franchise that has defined an era.
THE LINEUP: Who’s Actually Playing?
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the absurdity of what Warriors fans are about to witness.
Brandin Podziemski, the rookie guard, will start. Gui Santos, the Brazilian forward who has spent most of the season in the G League, will start. Al Horford, the 39-year-old veteran who was supposed to be a role player, will start. De’Anthony Melton, fresh off an adductor injury, will start. Kristaps Porzingis, the unicorn who can’t stay healthy, will start.
That’s it. That’s the team.
On the bench? More question marks. More two-way players. More guys who were never supposed to be in this position.
This is not what the Warriors envisioned when they mortgaged parts of their future to build a roster around Curry’s final years. This is not what anyone expected when they traded for Butler and convinced themselves they had one more run left.
This is a nightmare.
THE INJURY CRISIS: A Season Destroyed
Let’s run through the casualty list.
Stephen Curry: Out since January 30 with a knee injury. He’s been re-evaluated and will miss at least another 10 days. The greatest shooter in history has played just 38 games this season.
Jimmy Butler: Tore his ACL on January 19 against the Miami Heat. He’s done for the year. His recovery timeline could extend into next season. The player they acquired to be the difference-maker in the playoffs won’t even be on the court.
Draymond Green: Ruled out Friday night with injury management. The defensive anchor, the vocal leader, the guy who makes everything work—sidelined again.
De’Anthony Melton: Just returned from an adductor injury. He’s playing, but at less than 100%.
Quinten Post: Dealing with foot issues. He’s available, but for how long?
This isn’t bad luck. This is a catastrophe.
THE STANDINGS: A Play-In Nightmare
The Warriors are 32-33. They’re the ninth seed in the Western Conference.
That means they’re currently positioned to host a play-in game against the 10th-seeded Portland Trail Blazers. Win that game, and they’d face the loser of the 7-8 game for the right to enter the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.
It’s a path. It’s not a good path, but it’s a path.
But the margin for error is razor-thin. The Blazers are just 1.5 games back. A few more losses, and the Warriors could find themselves on the road for the play-in—or worse, out of it entirely.
Over their last 10 games, the Warriors are 3-7. They’ve lost three straight. They’re heading in the wrong direction at the worst possible time.
And now they’re facing a Timberwolves team that’s 40-26, hungry to end its own three-game skid, and fully healthy.
The math is not on Golden State’s side.
THE TIMBERWOLVES MATCHUP: David vs. Goliath
Let’s be honest about what’s about to happen.
The Timberwolves are one of the best teams in the Western Conference. They have size, athleticism, depth, and a chip on their shoulder after dropping three straight. They’re desperate to get back on track.
The Warriors are a collection of spare parts, G League call-ups, and aging veterans running on fumes.
This has all the makings of a blowout.
Minnesota will attack the paint relentlessly. They’ll pressure the ball. They’ll force turnovers. They’ll make life miserable for a Warriors team that simply doesn’t have the firepower to keep up.
Porzingis can score. Melton can defend. Podziemski can facilitate. But against a team of Minnesota’s caliber, that’s not nearly enough.
The only question is how ugly it gets.
THE STEVE KERR FACTOR: Coaching Through Chaos
Through all of this, Steve Kerr has remained steady.
He’s not panicking. He’s not making excuses. He’s not throwing in the towel.
Kerr knows what this team is capable of when healthy. He’s seen them compete with the best. He’s coached them to championships. He understands that the regular season is a marathon, not a sprint.
But even Kerr can’t overcome this many injuries.
His rotations have been creative. His schemes have been sound. His messaging has been consistent. But there’s only so much a coach can do when half his roster is in street clothes.
Friday night, Kerr will ask his skeleton crew to compete against one of the best teams in the league. He’ll draw up plays, call timeouts, and try to will his team to an upset.
But deep down, he knows the truth: this season is slipping away.
THE PLAYOFF PICTURE: What’s Left to Play For?
So what’s the point? Why keep fighting?
Because in the NBA, anything can happen. Because the play-in tournament exists for a reason. Because Stephen Curry might come back. Because Draymond Green might get healthy. Because if this team can just get to the playoffs, maybe—just maybe—they can make some noise.
It’s a long shot. It’s a Hail Mary. It’s probably delusional.
But it’s all the Warriors have.
They’re not going to tank. They’re not going to wave the white flag. They’re going to keep competing, keep fighting, keep believing that somehow, someway, they can turn this around.
That’s the Warriors way. That’s the Kerr way. That’s the Curry way.
And until the math says otherwise, that’s what they’ll do.
THE FINAL WORD: Hope in the Darkness
The Golden State Warriors are in a dark place.
Their stars are injured. Their record is below .500. Their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread.
But as long as Stephen Curry is still breathing, as long as Draymond Green is still talking, as long as Steve Kerr is still coaching—there’s hope.
Not much. But some.
Friday night against the Timberwolves will probably be ugly. The Warriors will probably lose. The season will probably get a little bit closer to ending.
But they’ll keep fighting. They’ll keep competing. They’ll keep believing.
And when Curry finally returns, when Green gets healthy, when this team gets whole again—maybe, just maybe, they’ll remind everyone why you never count out a champion.
Until then, Warriors fans, buckle up.
It’s going to be a bumpy ride.