Portland Trail Blazers vs Golden State Warriors: preview and player stats

Head coach Micah Nori said Morant met with a doctor in Los Angeles, who gave him a positive outlook on his recovery from the hamstring injury. While Nori declined to update Morant's timetable, he added Morant "may not be out for as long as we thought," Trail Blazers Insider Sean Highkin reports. Morant was initially given a four-week timetable after he suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain on Oct. 30. It sounds like he's making solid progress, though it would be surprising to see him beat that timetable given the tricky nature of hamstring injuries. Scoot Henderson will continue to start in his absence and there will be more minutes available for Jrue Holiday.

Sharpe suffered a torn meniscus in his knee and is expected to miss six months, per Shams Charania of ESPN. It's a tough blow to the Trail Blazers' depth on the wing ahead of training camp. Sharpe, who is now likely to be sidelined until after the All-Star break, had been ticketed for a reserve role behind Toumani Camara following an injury-plagued 2025-26 campaign, which saw average a career-high 20.8 points, 1.4 steals and 2.1 three-pointers per game over 50 regular-season appearances. The door is now open for Vit Krejci and Jeremy Sochan to compete for bench minutes during camp.

Krejci underwent surgery on his fractured left ankle Wednesday and will be re-evaluated in eight weeks, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.com reports. Krejci suffered the ankle injury in last Wednesday's win over the Suns and is set to miss an extended period after undergoing surgery. With the 26-year-old and Ja Morant (hamstring) both on the shelf, Jrue Holiday and Sidy Cissoko should continue seeing increased minutes.

Youngblood has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Thunder. Youngblood came down awkwardly following a fastbreak layup attempt at the start of the fourth quarter and didn't return. He's recently carved out a role in Portland, averaging 14.8 minutes per game over the past five games, so in his absence, Sidy Cissoko and Scoot Henderson are candidates for increased roles.

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.

Steve Kerr told reporters Wednesday that Curry said he tweaked something in his abdominal area and "had never done it before." Kerr added that the concern level is high, but they will await the MRI results, Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reports. For now, Curry should be considered highly questionable for Friday's game in San Antonio. De'Anthony Melton started the second half for him after he left Wednesday's game, so Melton will likely get the starting nod if Curry can't play Friday. Brandin Podziemski and Yaxel Lendeborg should also see plenty of offensive opportunities sans Curry.

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.

Payton (knee) is out for Wednesday's game against Houston. Payton is sidelined for a second consecutive contest with knee inflammation. Will Richard (thumb) could slot into Payton's spot in the backcourt rotation Wednesday.

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.