Buddy

Hield

Curry has missed five games this season, most recently sitting out the Warriors’ December 5 win over the Rockets. His absence would significantly impact the rotation, with Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski taking on more prominent roles within the offense. Both players are already rostered in most standard leagues, with Hield being a little easier to find on waiver wires.

Wiggins also missed Sunday’s game against the Timberwolves. Gary Payton II moved into the starting lineup, but Buddy Hield is the preferred streaming option with Wiggins out.

While Moody played in Sunday’s win over the Timberwolves, his left knee remains an issue. He won’t play against Houston, which means more minutes for Buddy Hield, Brandin Podziemski, and Gary Payton II. Hield and Podziemski are the players worth targeting for fantasy value.

Making his second start in three games, Hield went off on Sunday night. He shot 7-of-13 from beyond the arc, the last of which was a dagger extending the Warriors’ lead to six with 57.1 seconds remaining. Throughout his career, Hield has made it known that he prefers to start. He’ll have greater value to fantasy managers if he can maintain this role.

The Warriors hoped to use Green in a reserve role for the second straight game, but Andrew Wiggins’ (ankle) absence has forced a change. Draymond will start at the center and move Kevon Looney to the bench. The other changes to the lineup are Payton and Hield, with the latter bumping Brandin Podziemski to the bench.

Stephen Curry’s absence meant a move into the starting lineup for Hield. Unfortunately, he did not take advantage of the opportunity, shooting 1-of-8 from the field (1-of-6 from three) and offering minimal value in the other categories. With Curry expected to return for Friday’s game against Minnesota, Hield’s appearance in the starting lineup will likely be an unsuccessful cameo.

Curry will not play against the Rockets on Thursday, but there isn’t much concern regarding his status moving forward. He’s expected to return to the lineup on Friday, which would bump Buddy Hield to the bench.

Stephen Curry will join Draymond Green on the sidelines for this game, which will allow Hield to enter the starting lineup and for Kuminga to remain there for another game. With their Hall of Fame duo out, there will be plenty of shots and touches to go around.

Curry will sit out the first game of Golden State’s home back-to-back as they host the Timberwolves on Friday. His absence frees up scoring opportunities throughout the lineup, with Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield being two players well-positioned to benefit. Both players’ production has tailed off some recently; Curry’s absence could serve as a catalyst.

Curry has dealt with this issue for a few games, most recently logging 32 minutes in Saturday’s loss to the Suns. The probable tag is promising regarding his potential availability for Tuesday night. However, with the Warriors having already clinched their place in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, that may be reason enough to give Curry the night off. Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield are two players who would benefit if Curry cannot play.