Klay ‘may not play' back-to-backs entire Warriors season

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The Warriors, riding a four-game losing streak, are trotting out a starting lineup Friday night against the Pelicans in New Orleans that nobody could have seen coming before the season. 

Steve Kerr's first five players on the floor will be Jordan Poole, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, Anthony Lamb and Kevon Looney. Included in that group are two 20-year-olds and a player on a two-way contract who only has started three games in the NBA.

Golden State will be without Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins. Since the Warriors traded for Wiggins in February of 2020, this marks only the fifth time that all four players will miss the same game. With Friday night being the second of a back-to-back, this unusual starting lineup could be the start of what's to come to preserve two key veterans. 

It's far from a guarantee Thompson will play both nights of a back-to-back at all this season, and the Warriors will be extremely cautious with Green as well. 

"In this particular case, we've got a couple of guys we're going to be really careful with on back-to-backs all year," Kerr said to reporters prior to tipoff at Smoothie King Center. "Klay may not play in a back-to-back all year. He didn't last year because of two straight season-ending injuries. 

"Draymond missed half the year last year with a back injury, and we're in the final stage of a grueling road trip." 

On paper, Warriors-Pelicans was supposed to be an exciting showdown for fans. Kerr made it clear he understands and thinks about that all the time when having to make these decisions. 

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Ultimately, his players' healthy is Kerr's top priority. That includes being in the midst of a four-game losing streak. It includes being 3-6 on the season, and it includes the Warriors still searching for their first road win of the season. 

Later in his media session, Kerr said the Warriors have "two guys who are probably not going to play a lot if back-to-backs, if any" in regards to Thompson and Green. 

After making his triumphant return on Jan. 9 of last season, Thompson didn't play both games of a back-to-back once. He appeared in 32 of a possible 43 regular-season games, and then played all 22 of the Warriors' postseason games. Including Friday night, he has sat out the second game of the Warriors' two back-to-backs this season. 

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Green missed more than two months last season to a back injury, and played 46 regular-season games before also appearing in every Warriors playoff game. He did play both games of the Warriors' first back-to-back, but played only 26 minutes against the Detroit Pistons after playing 35 the night before against the Charlotte Hornets. 

To state the obvious, the Warriors badly want to get back in the win column right now. They also won't let that change their long-term view for the bigger picture.

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