The Warriors pulled off an electrifying 22-point comeback against the Nets, but the night wasn’t without setbacks. Just seconds into the game, Golden State lost one of its most promising young guards—Brandin Podziemski—to injury, leaving fans wondering if he’ll be available for the upcoming matchup against Detroit.
Now, the Warriors face the Detroit Pistons next. Fans are eager to know if Podziemski is healthy enough to suit up. Well, an NBA insider has all the answers for us.
Golden State Warriors Injury Report – Will Brandin Poziemski play against the Detroit Pistons tonight?
Steve Kerr had given us an update on Brandin’s injury right after the Nets game. “Doesn’t appear to be serious. Day-to-day,” he revealed. However, the injury seems serious enough to keep him on the injury report for the Pistons game. Anthony Slater of the Athletic first broke this news, which the injury report later confirmed. The Warriors have listed Podziemski as QUESTIONABLE and we don’t know whether he’ll risk aggravating his lower back injury by playing.
Brandin Podziemski is questionable tomorrow vs Pistons with lower back soreness. Jonathan Kuminga remains out to begin the homestand.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 8, 2025
Given his day-to-day status, the Warriors might opt to play it safe, especially with depth options like Buddy Hield available to step in. While Hield struggled initially against Brooklyn, he’s a proven scorer who could find his rhythm against the Pistons. Joining Podziemski on the injury list is Gary Payton Jr, who was injured during the Dubs’ game against the Charlotte Hornets.
But in what will be a pleasant surprise to Warriors fans, the Warriors have upgraded Gary’s status to AVAILABLE. It seems a fractured nasal bone suffered at the hands of LaMelo Ball is not enough to deter Payton. He will play the Pistons game wearing a face mask, given the nature of his injury.
Now, we arrive at Jonathan Kuminga, the last player on the Dubs’ injury report. Kuminga has been out for months, and Slater has informed us that this will also be the case as the Warriors kick off the homestand versus the Pistons. Steve Kerr initially suggested Kuminga’s return was imminent, but the injury turned out to be more severe than expected.
He even corrected himself on “Willard & Dibs”, saying, “No setback [to Kuminga]. The injury itself was more serious than anybody realized.” These injuries are concerning for the Warriors as they look to cement their playoff spot and close out the regular season on a high note.
Can the Warriors keep their magical run going without Brandin Podziemski?
Since the All-Star break, the Golden State Warriors have looked nearly invincible. Yes, there was that freak loss to the Sixers, but they managed to bounce back with 3 straight wins. So we can chalk that up to being a fluke. However, the Warriors did look shaky against the Nets with Podziemski gone.
Buddy Hield didn’t adjust well to replacing Brandin initially. And the team struggled to generate any quality offence in the first quarter, ending it with only 15 points. However, Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry ended up putting the team on their back, combining for 65 points to cinch the victory for the Dubs.
Jan 25, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) dribbles against Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (center right) during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The Warriors should have enough firepower to take care of Detroit, but tougher challenges await. With matchups against title contenders like the Nuggets and Bucks on the horizon, Golden State must stay healthy and continue refining its rotations.
If Podziemski sits out, will Buddy Hield step up? Or will Kerr look elsewhere for a spark?
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