Golden State Warriors Maintain Strict Health Plan for Al Horford in 19th NBA Season
SAN FRANCISCO – The Golden State Warriors are set to remain diligent in managing Al Horford’s health as he embarks on his 19th NBA season. The 39-year-old center will not suit up against the Memphis Grizzlies, the first game in their upcoming back-to-back, according to head coach Steve Kerr. Horford is expected to be available the following night to face the Los Angeles Clippers, after receiving a full four days of rest since the Warriors’ overtime victory against the Denver Nuggets last week.
Following Sunday morning’s practice, Kerr shed light on the reasoning behind resting Horford against Memphis rather than the Clippers.
“We always take [the matchups] into consideration. Against Portland [or Denver], it was always a pretty easy choice, dealing with [Nikola] Jokic,” Kerr told reporters. “I would say this one is a much more difficult decision because Memphis, you know, Jaren Jackson Jr. is obviously a great player. But we opted to play him against the Clippers, [as Ivica] Zubac has given us trouble. It’s a really big team, so that’s the way we’ll go with this one.”
Last season, Zubac averaged 17.5 points, 15.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists against Golden State. The Warriors struggled to contain the big man on the boards, highlighting a lack of size options to support Draymond Green in the frontcourt. Horford’s absence was felt in the game against the Trail Blazers, where Portland scored a staggering 66 points in the paint.
“We’ll lean into our depth and keep playing people in combinations we believe in and hopefully use our depth to get through this next back-to-back,” Kerr added.
Update on Moses Moody’s Health
The Warriors’ plan to limit Horford’s minutes to only one game in back-to-back sets will continue, as Kerr has emphasized multiple times this season. This load management approach mirrors the strategy used by the Boston Celtics and coach Joe Mazzulla during Horford’s tenure there, and Golden State remains committed to maintaining it.
In related health news, Moses Moody has returned to the rotation after missing two weeks with a calf injury. Kerr described Moody’s performance against Portland as an opportunity for him to “get his feet wet” and regain his rhythm.
Moody provided an update on his condition, downplaying the severity of the injury.
“Really minor. No structural damage or anything,” Moody said. “I got the MRI and everything. Really it was just strengthening it. It was precautionary and yeah, I’m in a good place.”
Once fully recovered, Moody is expected to be a valuable option for Kerr, particularly for his defensive prowess and floor spacing.
When asked whether regaining his shooting or defensive flow is more challenging after an injury, Moody emphasized the adjustment to different lineups rather than specific skills.
“I would say, it’s a different flow for different groups you’re on the floor with. So just finding your group and finding your role within that group takes some getting used to,” Moody explained. “But defensively, I think that’s pretty self-explanatory. Once you got the rotations down, once you got the principles, then I think that comes back pretty fast.”
The Warriors will look to build off a strong opening week as they prepare for the Grizzlies-Clippers back-to-back slate.