Something is missing during the Chicago edition of NBA All-Star weekend. The Golden State Warriors have seemingly dominated the NBA’s famed event over the past five seasons, but in 2020 things are different.
Whether it’s Kevin Durant earning All-Star game Most Valuable Player, or Klay Thompson winning the Three-Point Contest, members of the Warriors have headlined the NBA’s star-studded weekend.
Yet, in 2020, the only member of the Warriors in Chicago was Eric Paschall, who was invited to the Rising Stars Challenge.
The lack of the Golden State Warriors at All-Star weekend connects a more significant theme for their 2019-20 season — injuries. Stephen Curry has only played four games this season due to a broken hand, and still placed in the All-Star voting top-10. At the same time, Thompson hasn’t played yet this season as he recovers from the ACL injury he suffered in the 2019 NBA Finals.
Injuries to Curry and Thompson have pulled the Warriors from perennial title contenders down to the bottom of the Western Conference.
Without the Warriors — the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors have catapulted to the top of the NBA standings.
Leading the Bucks is All-Star team captain Giannis Antetokounmpo. In Chicago, the 2019 Most Valuable Player spoke about the absence of Curry throughout the current NBA season.
Antetokounmpo told reporters at All-Star Game media day that players around the league are enjoying games with Curry out because of how difficult he makes things for his opponents.
Obviously, Steph Curry is an amazing talent, amazing player. The game is different without him, so we definitely — actually, let me be honest with you. The players, we kind of enjoy that he’s not playing — not enjoy that he’s hurt. We want him to be healthy, but he just makes it way, way tougher for the rest of the league, but I’m happy he’s going to be back healthy and happy that he’s going to be able to help his team win some games.
Reports have targeted March as Curry’s potential return from injury, giving him around 20 games to get back to making things tough on the rest of the NBA. Next season when Curry and Thompson both suit up healthy, the Warriors will restart their climb towards contention.