July 1, 2024

Though it is an unexpected choice, the Ravens had high expectations for Dobbins prior to this past season because the former second-round selection had flashed flashes of brilliance in 2022. Sadly, he tore his Achilles in Week 1 of 2023 despite being handed the starting role, and his 2022 season was cut short by an ACL injury.

Golden State Warriors v Sacramento Kings

Though the Baltimore Ravens don’t have a lot of money to spend this offseason, the organisation might believe he can recover from both injuries, and he would undoubtedly cost very little in free agency.

Chris Paul’s return is likely to benefit a number of Golden State Warriors’ teammates, but it could also prove a disadvantage for others

The Warriors have had a rather easy run of things lately. Despite a slight lull in their play during Sunday’s 119-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets, they still own the equal second-best record in the league after 13 games.

Golden State should gain from Paul’s seasoned leadership and astute playmaking, but there’s also concern among supporters that the 38-year-old could upset the apple cart. Before his injury, Paul led the club in net rating and performed well, but there has clearly been a difference between the Warriors’ performances with and without the 12-time All-Star.

Denver Nuggets v Golden State Warriors

The most significant factor will be Paul’s effect on the squad as a whole, but there’s also the matter of his particular effects on colleagues. Given his status as one of the greatest passers and playmakers in game history, he ought to have a positive effect on the majority of teammates. With a team-high 7.2 assists per game this season, Paul is still second in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio, trailing only Tyus Jones.

Starting with the ones who stand to gain the most from Paul’s comeback, let’s take a look at five players who will be significantly affected by his return:

Curry conversation now a product of previous Golden State Warriors’ disappointment

The Golden State Warriors’ recent winning streak came to an end on Sunday when they were defeated 119-103 at Chase Centre by the Denver Nuggets, the current NBA champions.

The Nuggets’ 28-4 surge in the first half and the dominant play of superstar Stephen Curry, who was once again expertly limited by Denver guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, were the main problems for the Warriors.

While Stephen Curry may be in need of a rest, the Golden State Warriors aren’t in position for such a luxury move in coming weeks

Curry was held to just 20 points on 6-of-19 shooting, including 1 of 10 from three-point range, while another two-time MVP, Nikola Jokic, recorded an incredible 32-point, 16-rebound, 16-assist triple-double.

After the game, the talk soon shifted to whether Curry, 35, is fatigued because he had less recovery time than other players because he was at All-Star weekend. When asked if Curry might take a break for the next few games, head coach Steve Kerr stated that he thinks the franchise star is “a little fatigued”.

“I’ll talk to Rick about that. We’ll just take it game-by-game and see how he’s (Curry) doing. This is all part of the season, every player goes through it. Just feeling a little fatigued, a little heavy-legged. He’ll get it back and if we have to give him a game (rest) to help him do that, then we’ll do that.”

Curry has denied being fatigued, but there’s no doubting that he’s going through a little shooting slump. Before the All-Star break, he had only 16 points on 4 of 14 shooting. Although he played well against the Lakers on Thursday, he had only scored 35 points on 11 of 33 shooting over the previous two games.

Golden State’s next four-game road trip, which includes back-to-back games in New York and Toronto on Thursday and Friday, won’t make things any easier. Curry is on pace to play the most games of any season since he played 79 in 2016–17, having missed only three games.

In the upcoming weeks, Curry might need a break, but the Warriors are still in a situation where they can’t really afford to be without their greatest player. Following their defeat to Denver, Golden State dropped back to 10th place in the Western Conference, four games behind the teams in fifth, sixth, and seventh.

This situation resulted from the Warriors’ poor

3 teammates Moses Moody should surpass in the Golden State Warriors rotation

After missing out on Steve Kerr’s rotation in Sunday’s 119-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets at Chase Centre, talk over Moses Moody’s status at the Golden State Warriors is still prevalent.

Since Gary Payton II returned, Moody’s playing time has been, at best, inconsistent. In the past seven games, the 21-year-old has seen two games where he was a second-string player, fewer than two minutes of garbage time versus Denver, and three more games where he played for less than nine minutes. His only real chance came against the Lakers during one of Payton’s absences due to illness.

Golden State Warriors v Los Angeles Lakers - Game Four

While unlikely to eventuate, there remains a path for Moses Moody to return to the Golden State Warriors rotation

Perhaps the biggest casualty of Golden State’s strong roster is the 2021 lottery pick, who hasn’t been able to secure a regular rotation role despite head coach Steve Kerr’s increased faith in other young players this year.

After the Nuggets game, Kerr was asked directly about Moody’s position. She said that it is impossible to play 12 players, but that is now the reality going forward with Chris Paul back against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.

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