OAKLAND, Calif. _ Late in the fourth quarter on Sunday night, Zaza Pachulia dove for a steal and got the Warriors an extra possession. But it'll cost him at least a week.
On the play, Pachulia landed with his right arm on the basketball. The brunt of his weight torqued his right shoulder. Soreness eventually followed. He got an MRI on Tuesday. The results revealed a strained right rotator cuff. He will be reevaluated in a week.
"Landed on the ball and all this weight," Pachulia said. "I'm not saying I'm fat, but all the weight put pressure on the shoulder. I knew something was wrong."
Pachulia said he's already feeling a bit recovered. He had better range of motion on Wednesday than he did Tuesday. He's never had shoulder troubles and doesn't think this will be an extended absence.
But Pachulia will miss at least the Warriors next three games: at home against the Hornets on Wednesday, in Los Angeles against the Clippers on Thursday and at Sacramento on Saturday. Golden State is then idle until next Wednesday when they start an intriguing three game stretch that concludes in Oklahoma City on Saturday where the return of Kevin Durant is also spiced up by the recent Pachulia, Russell Westbrook beef.
There's no telling if Pachulia will be ready to return by then. But Golden State will feel his absence. After a rough start to the season, the burly veteran center was great in the month of January, bumping his production up to 8.4 points and 6.6 rebounds, finishing around the rim much better and connecting with a previously frustrated fanbase that came to appreciate some of the little things (hard screens, smart passes, enforcing fouls) Pachulia provides.
But now he's on the shelf, joined by his backup, David West, who is out at least one more game with that left thumb fracture. In their absence, the Warriors have a variety of minimum options for the center spot. JaVale McGee is the most likely to slide into the starting role. When Pachulia missed time in December with a wrist injury, McGee provided the best replacement minutes as a starter.
Others likely to get increased run: James Michael McAdoo, who has impressed of late, and Kevon Looney, who has disappointed after an encouraging preseason.
