The Golden State Warriors' backcourt is banged up. Chris Paul logged just five minutes in the team's loss to the Sacramento Kings and has been ruled out for Thursday's matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, according to Shams Charania. The Warriors will list him as day-to-day until he returns.
While Paul only notched three points and a pair of steals in five minutes his last time out, he's been an impactful reserve for the Warriors coming off the bench. He's averaging 8.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.5 steals on a career-low 26.8 minutes per game in his 19th NBA season.
Paul has taken on a lesser role backing up Steph Curry but has helped orchestrate the offense and organize the defense with and without the sharpshooter on the floor. The 38-year-old leads Golden State in assists and steals despite his reduction in playing time from previous seasons.
Gary Payton II is out indefinitely with a torn calf, so there could be opportunities for young guards to step into larger roles in the immediate future. Brandin Podzmieski has already proved that he can be a valuable contributor for spurts when the Warriors' depth chart is thin.
