© Darren Yamashita | 2021 Jan 10
The Warriors second unit has been rolling. It just hit a speed bump.
The engine of that unit, Eric Paschall, will miss Tuesday’s game after “entering the league’s health and safety protocols,” the league announced on Tuesday. What that likely means is that Paschall has either contracted COVID-19 or been in close contact with someone who has. It is unclear how long he will be out for.
Paschall is the first Warriors player to be placed on the list since James Wiseman and Draymond Green were made unavailable at the start of training camp. Again it was never officially announced that the two players had contracted the virus per NBA policy, but Steve Kerr eventually admitted as much.
Paschall’s absence comes at a particularly bad time for him and the Warriors. The second-year player has been a revelation as a small-ball center in the Warriors’ second unit, averaging more than 12 points on the season and over 15 per game in his last four. The second unit was crucial in Golden State’s come from behind win vs. the Clippers on Friday.
The NBA is currently reeling as multiple COVID outbreaks throughout the league are beginning to cause postponements. The Celtics had their second game in a row postponed on Tuesday, while the Sixers were forced to play with just seven players on Monday night.