[jwplayer KH1SqyKp-z6KDnl0B]
Add D’Angelo Russell to the latest injury report that’s already full of All-Star talent.
Russell left Friday night’s game versus the Boston Celtics with a hand injury, and the next day, the Warriors announced the Kentucky native will miss at least the next two weeks with a sprained right thumb.
The injury couldn’t come at a worse time, as Russell was on a scoring heater the team needed. Before the Warriors squared off against the league-best Boston Celtics, Russell scored 20 or more points in five-straight games. In that span, he averaged 33.2 points per game with three 30-plus point games, including his first-ever 50-point effort.
Not only was Russell the Dub’s offensive initiator, but the primary ball handler with Stephen Curry out. How the Warriors replace Russell’s production over the next two weeks will be Steve Kerr’s latest challenge.
On Saturday night in New Orleans, Kerr told reporters he’d turn to Draymond Green for help with ball-handling responsibilities.
“Draymond is really good in a facilitating role, so Draymond will handle the ball quite a bit,” said the coach of the Warriors.
Over the former Defensive Player of the Year’s career, he’s been able to bring the ball up the court with success, but this time he won’t have a bevy of All-Star’s surrounding him. It’s safe to believe opponents will try to test Green when he’s tasked with being the primary ball-handler.
Green’s skillset is built for the defensive end of the floor, but an injury-riddled season is putting pressure on Green to pick it up on offense.
Kerr said the Saginaw, Michigan product won’t be the only player listed as a ball-handler.
Steve Kerr on the D’Angelo Russell injury: pic.twitter.com/DHjGjp1cOB
— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) November 17, 2019
“Draymond will play a lot of point and Ky will have the ball in his hands quite a bit,” said Kerr.
If Warriors fans are looking to take away a positive from early in the season, it’s the Boston College product, Ky Bowman. The two-way guard will now be entrusted to take over point guard responsibilities with Russell out.
The undrafted rookie has been a pleasant surprise since training camp and he will now get the opportunity to play big minutes due to the Warriors’ lack of guards.
Bowman isn’t letting the probable increase in playing time phase him, though.
“I just go out there and play my role,” Bowman said to reporters Saturday. “If that’s scoring, if that’s defense, just play my role. At the end of the day, it’s whatever they need.”
Ky Bowman, your new starting point guard: pic.twitter.com/JTIe9gpswA
— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) November 17, 2019
The Warriors can try to band-aid their need for a ball-handler, but there’s still the massive hole in scoring production with Russell out.
Alec Burks is a player highlighted to step up in Russell’s absence. He led the Warriors in points versus Boston, before that he’s posted scoring clips of 28, 23 and 18 on the season. Burks has been a steady slashing forward over his career, but the Warriors now need to depend on Burks to fill the stat sheet up.
The wildcard scoring option is struggling rookie Jordan Poole, who has a pretty shot but hasn’t seen it go in much this season. If the rookie is going to figure out the pro game, now would be a good time to start. Poole will need to mimic his college form where he recorded several 20-plus point performances as a Michigan Wolverine. Through the first 13 games of his NBA career, the struggling rookie is connecting on just 27.3 percent of his shots.
No matter what lineup Kerr and company can craft, it’ll be hard to replace the production of a former All-Star like Russell.
While they try, it’ll be a good opportunity to see what the Warriors have in players like Burks, Bowman, and Poole.