Gui

Santos

Santos stepped up in a big way for the Warriors during the second half of the season, and that continued into a strong play-in performance for him. He entered the starting lineup when Stephen Curry went down with a knee injury in late January and took full advantage of the opportunity. He ended up signing a three-year, $15 million contract extension with Golden State that may end up looking like a bargain. Santos will continue to be a pivotal piece for the Warriors with the postseason continuing for them on Friday in Phoenix.

Santos will be good to go following a two-game absence. He’ll continue to start, which will push De’Anthony Melton to the bench, though he should still play a significant role as one of the primary reserves.

Golden State may be done some additional role players, which means De’Anthony Melton and Brandin Podziemski will need to step up and handle expanded workloads.

Santos will miss a second consecutive game as he continues to deal with a pelvic contusion. With Stephen Curry also out, the Warriors will rely more on Brandin Podziemski and De’Anthony Melton on offense.

Between Curry’s recent return and the Warriors being locked into the No. 10 seed in the West, it’s unsurprising that he won’t play in one of the team’s next two games. If Gui Santos can play, he’ll take on a prominent role within the Warriors’ offense. Pat Spencer and LJ Cryer should see their minutes increase as well.

While Curry played in Tuesday’s win over the Kings, Santos did not due to his lingering pelvic contusion. Malevy Leons filled in for the latter but was not productive enough to merit streaming in any active fantasy league. Thursday’s game is the first of two in as many nights for the Warriors, so Curry is likely to miss one of them for injury management reasons.

With the Warriors deciding to bring Stephen Curry off the bench in his first game back from a knee injury, Santos remained in the starting lineup on Sunday. He struggled offensively, shooting 2-of-8 from beyond the arc, but the Warriors’ forward still played 32 minutes. For managers whose leagues will be active in Week 24, the Warriors play four games, starting with the Kings on Tuesday. Santos will play quality minutes, but it’s unknown how soon Curry will return to the starting lineup.

Sunday’s game will be Curry’s first since January 29. In addition to his minutes being limited (25 is the limit), the veteran guard will come off the bench and play in short bursts. This approach ensures that Gui Santos will remain in the starting lineup, preserving his fantasy value for the final game of Week 23.

Santos was not fully healthy in Thursday’s loss to the Cavaliers, but he still logged 31 minutes and scored 25 points. Stephen Curry (knee) is expected to return, but his playing time will be restricted. Santos will continue to figure prominently in the Warriors’ rotation, even if he comes off the bench.

Back in the Warriors’ lineup after sitting out Wednesday’s loss to the Spurs, Santos was not at full strength against the Cavaliers. However, that did not keep him from having one of his best games of the season. Santos has scored at least 25 points in three of his last four outings, continuing to provide solid value while the Warriors await Stephen Curry’s return. That may happen on Sunday, but Santos’ fantasy value for the final game of Week 23 should be fine.