Fingers crossed.
The Golden State Warriors are in New York to finish off a five-game road trip with a visit to old friend D’Angelo Russell and the Brooklyn Nets. And, in keeping with a theme on the road trip, they’re once dealing with a potential injury. Less than a minute into the first quarter of Thursday’s game, starting shooting guard Brandin Podziemski signalled to the bench that he needed a substitution. Podziemski then walked straight to the team’s locker room, while holding his lower back.
Brandin Podziemski is leaving the game in pain in Brooklyn in the first minute tonight. Grabbing at his lower back. Called to the bench and walked to the locker room.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 7, 2025
It was a concerning moment. It was a non-contact injury, and Podziemski immediately signaled to the bench. There was no attempt to work it off and see how it feels, which is usually a bad sign. Thankfully, it seems like the injury isn’t too severe. At the start of the second quarter, the Warriors announced that Podziemski had left the game due to lower back soreness. His status for the rest of the game is to be determined, which certainly suggests that the initial prognosis is that the injury is mild. We’ll keep you updated when there’s any new information.
Brandin Podziemski (lower back soreness) won’t return, per Warriors
— Danny Emerman (@DannyEmerman) March 7, 2025
It’s the fourth injury that the Warriors have sustained on this road trip. Jimmy Butler III experienced back spasms that kept him out of Saturday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, while Steph Curry rolled his ankle during a Monday win over the Charlotte Hornets, though he didn’t miss any time. Gary Payton II suffered a nasal fracture during that game as well, and missed Tuesday’s win over the New York Knicks.