Warriors Starting Lineup & Roster vs. Clippers Game 3

The Golden State Warriors suffered a huge blow with DeMarcus Cousins’ significant quad injury as the team reshuffles their starting lineup. Andrew Bogut is expected to start in Cousins place at center as the Warriors take on the Clippers in Game 3. Here is a look at the Warriors projected starting lineup.

Warriors Starting Lineup Without DeMarcus Cousins

C- Andrew Bogut
PF- Draymond Green
SF- Kevin Durant
SG- Klay Thompson
PG- Steph Curry

Golden State signed Bogut last month as an insurance policy down low, and now the big man is starting after beginning the season in Australia. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr believes the team will be fine with Bogut in the lineup.

“He’ll be great,” Kerr explained to the San Francisco Chronicle. “It’s almost as if the layoff never happened, because he knows these guys. We’re playing the same style we’ve always played, and he fits right into that style.”

Bogut is likely more of a long-term solution as Cousins is not expected to return this season. Cousins noted the goal is the same as it was before he got hurt.

“At the end of the day you can say what you want, you can hate it as much as you want,” Bogut explained to ESPN. “You can call us every name in the book. You can say whatever you want about them, you can call it whatever you want, but you’re going to have to add champion at the end of it. And that’s all that matters.”

Here is a look at the updated Warriors roster and depth chart after the Cousins injury.

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Golden State Warriors Roster After Cousins Injury

C- Andrew Bogut, Kevon Looney
PF- Draymond Green, Jordan Bell, Jonas Jerebko
SF- Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, Damion Lee
SG- Klay Thompson, Alfonzo McKinnie, Jacob Evans
PG- Steph Curry, Shaun Livingston, Quinn Cook

Kevon Looney will also likely get a bump in minutes with Cousins out. While the Warriors have not officially ruled Cousins out for the season, Kerr admitted it is a long shot for him to return at any point in the playoffs.

“He will not need surgery,” Kerr said, per NBC Sports. “DeMarcus, most likely, will not be back during the playoffs…You’re probably looking at a couple months’ recovery, so it’s unlikely. But [Warriors director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini] told me that there are occasions where that injury heals faster. So we’re leaving the door open, obviously.”

If the Warriors decide to go small, Jordan Bell could also see the court more as Green potentially plays the five. With how talented the Warriors roster was prior to Cousins, the big man was a bit of a luxury, but it will still take some adjusting from the Warriors as their lineups shift.

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