Warriors' Kristaps Porzingis exits Friday's game with back soreness

Golden State Warriors veteran center Kristaps Porzingis experienced lower-back soreness in Friday’s road game in Detroit, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN.

While the Warriors have officially listed Porzingis as questionable to return, he didn’t make his way back to the team’s bench to open the second half after walking slowly to the locker room in the second quarter, Slater notes.

Porzingis had five points, three rebounds and two blocks in 11 first-half minutes.

Golden State currently trails Detroit by 22 points with eight-plus minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Warriors have been in a major slump lately, dropping six of their last seven games and eight of their past 10.

It’s a tough setback for Porzingis, who has been plagued by health issues for much of the past two seasons. He has repeatedly said he was starting to feel better and better after missing several games because of an illness, but now he may be facing another absence.

Entering Friday, Porzingis had appeared in 23 combined games with the Hawks and Warriors in 2025-26, averaging 17.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks in 23.7 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .451/.342/.825.

On Friday morning, Moses Moody provided an update on his right wrist sprain, per Slater. The fifth-year wing has gone some “high intensity workouts” the past couple days, though he’s still experiencing pain in his wrist, which is taped.

“I’ve been progressing over these last couple days,” Moody said. “I’ve taken some big strides. I’m shooting threes and all now so, I think (I’ll be back) pretty soon.”