Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers: preview and player stats (Mar 14, 2027)

Injury/Illness - Right ACL Repair / Surgery (2026-11-13, GSW@SAS). Prior reporting (2026-10-16): 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.

Injury/Illness - Right Oblique Tear (2026-11-13, GSW@SAS). Prior reporting (2026-11-12): 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.

Injury/Illness - Left Patellar Tendon Repair / Surgery (2026-11-13, GSW@SAS). Prior reporting (2026-10-16): 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.

Not With Team (2026-11-13, GSW@SAS). Prior reporting (2026-11-06): 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.

Injury/Illness - Left Hamstring Strain (2026-11-13, GSW@SAS). Prior reporting (2026-11-10): 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.

Injury/Illness - Left Toe Soreness (2026-11-13, GSW@SAS). Prior reporting (2026-11-12): Bassey is probable for Friday's game against the Spurs due to left toe soreness. It's not clear as to when this injury popped up for Bassey, who missed the first two games of the season with a knee issue but has been otherwise healthy. Expect the team to confirm his availability for Friday as tipoff nears.

Doncic finished Wednesday's 123-112 win over the Bucks with 32 points (10-25 FG, 5-12 3Pt, 7-10 FT), five rebounds, five assists and three steals across 32 minutes. He exited to the locker room late in the fourth quarter due to an apparent right ankle injury and did not return, Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times reports. Doncic didn't deliver his most efficient shooting effort, though he still led all players in scoring while knocking down a game-high-tying five triples. He has now reached the 30-point threshold in each of his last nine appearances. The superstar floor general also tied for the game-best mark in steals, logging multiple swipes for the fourth time over his last six outings. However, Doncic's status will be worth monitoring ahead of Sunday's game at Phoenix, as he landed on Kyle Kuzma's foot and exited to the locker room Wednesday.

Head coach JJ Redick said that X-rays on Reaves' left heel came back negative, but they won't have another update until he undergoes further imaging back in Los Angeles on Thursday, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports. Reaves hurt his heel coming down after a layup attempt, but the good news is that an Achilles injury has been ruled out. The Lakers are off until Sunday, but if Reaves needs to miss that game, Ziaire Williams would have a chance to start and Luka Doncic would be extremely busy on offense.

Grimes (finger) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Bucks. Grimes didn't play Monday in Atlanta after scoring 12 points in 32 minutes as a starter in Detroit on Sunday. However, it appears that absence wasn't simply rest during the second night of a back-to-back set, as Grimes will now miss a second straight game. In his absence, Collin Sexton and Cameron Carr could remain involved with the second unit.

Sexton did not return to Wednesday's 123-112 win over the Bucks and required stitches to close a cut on his forehead, Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times reports. Sexton knocked noggins with Ryan Rollins, but it sounds like he's avoided a concussion, so he should be able to get out there for Sunday's game in Phoenix. Austin Reaves (heel) also exited Wednesday's game, and if he needs to sit out Sunday, Sexton would have the chance for some extended minutes.