The Golden State Warriors surged into the All-Star break with eight wins in 10 games, moving the team 2.5 games ahead of the Jazz for the 10th seed and final play-in spot in the Western Conference. The Warriors have gotten most of their key players back for this stretch run, but are hoping veteran point guard Chris Paul joins the team soon as he recovers from a hand fracture. Here’s the latest update on Paul and how he could impact Golden State’s playoff chances.
Chris Paul injury news
Paul was re-evaluated on February 14 and according to the Warriors, checked all the boxes at that stage. The team stated he would ramp up on-court activities after the All-Star break and will re-evaluated again in 10 days. Assuming he is cleared to return at that point, Paul would be on the floor against the Nuggets on February 25.
Playoff implications for Warriors
The Warriors were around .500 with Paul in the lineup prior to his hand fracture, and he’s likely to be coming off the bench when he’s first cleared to play. That being said, he’s an important part of what the team could do offensively with the second unit. The Warriors have always had to find a way to sustain their production when Stephen Curry hits the bench, and Paul’s return would help the team settle into more appropriate roles.
Paul was making a strong defensive impact when he was on the floor for Golden State this season. The Warriors allowed 5.4 more points per 100 possessions to opponents with Paul off the floor according to basketball-reference.com. Paul’s return will help Golden State shore up its defense even more and make this team a dangerous out regardless of where it ends up in the West playoff field.
Betting/fantasy impact
As mentioned above, Paul will likely come off the bench when he does return. The Warriors made a huge move to bring Klay Thompson off the bench and it worked well. Head coach Steve Kerr said that is likely to continue, meaning Paul and Thompson could anchor the second unit for Golden State. Paul likely doesn’t move the needle from a DFS standpoint as a bench guard but he’s worth holding onto as a fantasy basketball asset in case his role does increase.
This development also means Brandin Podziemski’s role as a starter should continue. The rookie has fit in well and should always be in consideration for DFS lineups.