The Golden State Warriors are about to enter the turning point of their season.
Two-time MVP, Stephen Curry, suffered a shoulder injury on Wednesday and is expected to miss multiple weeks.
So it will be interesting to see how the Warriors respond without their best player.
Sitting with a record of 14-16, the Warriors have no time to feel sorry for themselves.
They must find ways to win games without Curry.
Here are two Warriors who must step up while Curry is out.
1. Jordan Poole
The next man up at point guard for the Warriors is likely to be Jordan Poole.
Now that he will enter the starting lineup for an extended period, he must thrive in that role.
Poole has been awesome in games he has started this season, averaging 25.0 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game.
Jordan Poole this season as a starter vs reserve #Warriors pic.twitter.com/xfrn9BLw6B
— 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪 @𝗙𝗧𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱𝟳 (@FTBeard7) December 15, 2022
The 23-year-old must continue to carry a large portion of the scoring load.
But, a spot where he needs to improve is on defense.
Curry has always been a solid defender, but Poole seems uninterested at times.
He will need to step up on that end of the floor if the Warriors want to start stopping people consistently.
2. Donte DiVincenzo
Another guard that will see a raise in usage while Curry is out is Donte DiVincenzo.
In his first season with the Warriors, DiVincenzo has played very well off the bench.
The 25-year-old is playing 19.3 minutes per game this season.
But, he should see an increase of up to at least 25 minutes while Curry is out.
Where DiVincenzo provides his most value is on the defensive end.
Donte DiVincenzo has had one hell of a defensive game. pic.twitter.com/3cZMQPyY21
— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) December 11, 2022
He must continue to be a defensive star for the Warriors as they navigate these next few weeks.
The Warriors have one of the worst defenses in the NBA this season after having one of the best last year.
Giving up 116.8 points per game is simply not acceptable.
They must get back to playing elite defense if they want to stay in the race while their best player is out.
NEXT: Steph Curry Talks About The Warriors' Plans Without Him