What Melton’s ACL injury means for the Warriors’ starting lineup originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Just two games after Warriors coach Steve Kerr picked a starting lineup, the team was hit by the injury epidemic raging across the NBA’s Western Conference.
De’Anthony Meltonwho started the last two games as a shooter, suffered a sprained left ACL against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday and will be out indefinitely, the Warriors announced Thursday afternoon.
“It’s disappointing,” Kerr said after practice. “It really was the perfect mix. De’Anthony does a little bit of everything: on-ball defense, rebounding, 3-point shooting, playmaking. It suited him very well, and that’s why we targeted him.
“The fact that he’s out for the next game is disappointing. We were finding some momentum. We’ll see how this plays out. We have options, we have a lot of depth and we were very capable of replacing. But it’s very disappointing for him and for us.
With Melton joining Stephen Curry in the backcourt and Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis starting up front the last two games, the Warriors beat the Thunder last Sunday in Oklahoma City, then returned home to beat the Mavericks, reigning Western Conference champions. .
This was Golden State’s seventh different starting lineup, and likely the one Kerr will deploy when Melton returns.
For now, once again, Kerr must go into random mode. Last time there was a vacancy in the backcourton November 8 in Cleveland, Kerr started Gary Payton II. GP2 also started in Washington on November 4. On November 6 in Boston, it was Moses Moody. Earlier, when Curry was out with a mild ankle sprain, Brandin Podziemski made three starts.
And now ?
“I still have to think about it,” Kerr said. “But we have good options. And I feel good about our depth and our ability to play through injuries.
Kerr’s story is that he tends to pay a lot of attention to matchups. GP2 was called upon against smaller playmakers like the Wizards’ Jordan Poole and the Cavaliers’ dynamic backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. Moody’s departure came against the longer Celtics. With Curry and Wiggins out for the Oct. 30 win over New Orleans, Kerr turned to Lindy Waters III and Podziemski.
The Warriors will face a Memphis team on Friday without starting guards Ja Morant (right hip subluxation and pelvic muscle strain) and Desmond Bane (right oblique strain). In a 128-123 loss to the Lakers on Wednesday in Los Angeles, the Grizzlies started Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jaylen Wells in the backcourt.
Given the length of Memphis’ frontcourt — averaging less than 7 feet — it’s reasonable to believe Kerr would lean toward the 6-foot-5 Moody alongside Curry.
Whoever starts will not be guaranteed the next start. The only players with multiple starts besides Curry in the backcourt are Wiggins (three) and Melton (two).
With Melton’s absence — which Buddy Hield said will last “a few weeks” — the Warriors join most of their injured competitors in the West.
Here is a list of important players, besides Golden State, dealing with injuries on the top eight teams:
Oklahoma City: Chet Holmgren (iliac fracture)Alex Caruso (hip pain).
Phoenix: Bradley Beal (left calf strain), Kevin Durant (left calf strain).
Denver: Aaron Gordon (right calf strain).
Houston: Steven Adams (recovering from right knee injury).
Lakers: Jaxson Hayes (sprained left ankle), Jarred Vanderbilt (recovering from right foot surgery), Christian Wood (recovering from left knee surgery)
Grizzlies (in addition to Morant and Bane): Brandon Clarke (left toe pain), GG Jackson (fifth metatarsal repair), Vince Williams Jr. (left tibial stress reaction),
