Golden State Warriors vs Utah Jazz: preview and player stats (Jan 28, 2027)

Butler (knee) could return sometime between January and February as he continues recovering from a torn right ACL, Anthony Slater of ESPN reports. Butler, who underwent surgery after suffering the injury Jan. 19, has progressed to individual court work but still has several rehabilitation milestones to clear. His next step involves landing comfortably after a game-speed jump. Coach Steve Kerr is hopeful Butler can rejoin Golden State for the latter portion of the season, though no official return date has been announced. The 37-year-old forward remains a significant part of the Warriors' plans and could provide a substantial boost during the second half of the campaign.

Curry has been diagnosed with an oblique abdominal tear and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, Shams Charania of ESPN reports. Curry suffered the injury early during Wednesday's loss to the Rockets, with head coach Steve Kerr saying after the game that the superstar point guard "tweaked" something in his abdominal area. Curry has never dealt with an injury of this nature, so the Warriors, who are off to a hot start spearheaded by Rookie of the Year candidate Yaxel Lendeborg, will likely proceed with caution. Brandin Podziemski, Brandon Williams (hamstring), De'Anthony Melton, Will Richard and Gary Payton (knee) are all candidates for increased roles until Curry is cleared to play again.

Moody (knee) is progressing toward a potential return between December and January after rupturing his left patellar tendon in March, Anthony Slater of ESPN reports. Moody has been limited to individual court work, but team sources indicate he's ahead of Jimmy Butler (knee) in the rehabilitation process and is expected to return before the veteran forward. The 24-year-old still has several recovery checkpoints to complete, and Golden State has not established an official timetable. His eventual return would help replenish a Warriors wing rotation that will open the season without both Moody and Butler.

Porzingis announced on his social media that he's stepping away from basketball. Porzingis said he was looking forward to joining the Warriors, but his body didn't respond the way he wanted it too during his ramp-up process before the season. Additionally, he said he will work with the Warriors on a solution that "makes sense." Porzingis is making this decision to prioritize his health and will hopefully turn a corner soon on that front.

Williams (hamstring) will miss at least one week, per Anthony Slater of ESPN.com. Williams has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain in the aftermath of Monday's game against the Pelicans, and his status for Golden State's upcoming five-game road trip is in serious doubt. With Williams facing an extended absence, the Warriors are likely to lean more on De'Anthony Melton in the backourt.

Markkanen has been diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture in his right hand and will be sidelined for at least one month, Shams Charania of ESPN reports. Markkanen has missed two straight games due to what was being described as a right wrist sprain, but it appears the issue was much worse than initially thought. The talented big man now joins Jusuf Nurkic (foot) and Jaren Jackson (knee) on Utah's long-term injury list, while Keyonte George's status moving forward is unclear while dealing with an ankle sprain. Given all of the injuries, Ace Bailey and Darryn Peterson will have to lead the offense, while Isaiah Collier, Brice Sensabaugh, Svi Mykhailiuk, Josh Okogie and Josh Green are candidates for increased roles.

Jackson has been diagnosed with a torn MCL in his right knee and will be sidelined for 6-to-8 weeks, per Shams Charania of ESPN. Jackson sustained the injury early in Monday's loss to Memphis, and he's now expected to miss at least a month and a half of action. The star big man's absence creates a major void in the Utah lineup, one that is likely to be filled by a timeshare of Jaxson Hayes (shoulder), Kyle Filipowski and Mo Bamba. The Jazz could also shift Lauri Markkanen (wrist), when healthy, to the center spot at times, perhaps allowing Ace Bailey to spend more time at power forward.

Hayes won't return to Friday's game against the Rockets due to a left knee issue. Hayes will end up missing the entire second half. He was playing well prior to the injury, finishing with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting with five rebounds and one assist in 13 minutes. Mo Bamba could be in line for more run with this news.

Nurkic (toe) has begun participating in on-court activities as he continues recovering from a right foot injury sustained during an Oct. 4 preseason game against Denver. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks, the Jazz announced Friday. Nurkic is progressing in his recovery, but the two-week re-evaluation timeline indicates he remains some distance from returning to game action. His absence should continue to create opportunities in Utah's frontcourt, with Jaxson Hayes and Mo Bamba among the players positioned to benefit from additional playing time. Nurkic's next evaluation will provide a clearer picture of his potential return date.

Alexander won't play Wednesday against the Grizzlies due to a left knee bone bruise. Alexander sat out Friday's preseason finale with what the team initially described as a left knee injury, but we now know he's dealing with a bone bruise. Don't be surprised if Alexander misses Friday's game against the Pelicans as well.