Kristaps Porzingis exited Golden State's road loss to Detroit with lower back spasms, casting doubt on his availability for Saturday's matchup against Atlanta. The 7-foot center left Friday's game after landing awkwardly during a leap, with trainers ruling him out at halftime. Porzingis admitted his back tightened throughout the contest, particularly after physical contact with Pistons big man Jalen Duren.

The timing couldn't be worse for Golden State, which dropped to 33-37 after turning it over a season-high 27 times in Detroit. Porzingis had been showing promising signs recently, scoring 11, 17, 20 and 30 points in his previous four games while battling through illness. The Warriors now face the prospect of losing their most consistent big man in a crucial stretch of the season as they fight for playoff positioning.

Porzingis downplayed the severity of the injury, suggesting he's dealt with similar issues before and knows how to manage his back. He'll miss what would have been a reunion game against Atlanta, the team that traded him for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield on Feb. 5. Ironically, Kuminga is also nursing a bone bruise in his knee but expects to face his former team Saturday in Atlanta.