Warriors Rule Out Key Player De'Anthony Melton for Monday's Heat Game

The Golden State Warriors will be shorthanded Monday night when they host the Miami Heat at Chase Center. De’Anthony Melton has been ruled out due to left knee injury management. Melton is sitting out the front end of a back-to-back as part of Golden State’s plan to keep him healthy following ACL surgery on his left knee last season. Gui Santos will also miss his second consecutive game with a left ankle sprain. Seth Curry remains out with left sciatic issues. The Heat will be without Tyler Herro, who is dealing with a right rib contusion. Jimmy Butler is not listed on the injury report and is expected to return to the lineup after missing Saturday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets due to personal reasons. Why De’Anthony Melton’s Absence Matters for the Warriors Melton has been excellent lately. Over his last six games, the guard has averaged 17.2 points on 52.8% shooting from the field and 43.2% from beyond the arc. He has scored 22 or more points in three of those six games. During that stretch, the Warriors posted a 5-1 record. On the season, Melton is averaging 11.0 points on 42.2% shooting with 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 20.7 minutes per game across 18 appearances. Golden State is 12-6 when Melton plays. His absence leaves a hole in the Warriors’ backcourt rotation. Brandin Podziemski, Gary Payton II, and rookie Will Richard will need to pick up the slack off the bench. Monday’s game is the first of a back-to-back for Golden State. The Warriors will look to have Melton available for Tuesday’s game, though that decision will depend on how his knee responds to rest. Jimmy Butler Faces His Former Team for the Second Time This game carries added significance for Butler. The six-time All-Star demanded a trade from the Heat last season, and Miami granted his request in February when the Warriors acquired him for a package headlined by Andrew Wiggins and a 2025 first-round pick. The Heat got their revenge in a March home game with Stephen Curry sidelined. Miami won 112-86, holding Butler to just 11 points. Butler has been particularly excellent recently. Over his last four games, he has averaged 23.0 points on 60.3% shooting. Monday’s matchup against his former team sets up as the perfect opportunity for Butler to make a statement. The Warriors will need him to deliver. With Melton out and the bench rotation thinner than usual, Butler’s ability to create offense and control the game will be critical. The Heat Remain Dangerous Despite Missing Tyler Herro Miami will be without Herro on Monday, but the Heat have proven they can win without him. Miami defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-120 on Saturday without Herro in the lineup. Wiggins nailed the game-winning three-pointer with 31 seconds left to lift the Heat past the defending champions. Norman Powell leads Miami in scoring at 23.8 points per game. Bam Adebayo averages 17.4 points. Jaime Jaquez Jr. contributes 15.9 points, and Wiggins adds 15.8 points per game. The Heat are 22-20 and coming off a 2-1 homestand. They are just 7-13 on the road, which gives the Warriors an advantage playing at home. But Miami has shown it can compete with anyone when healthy, and even without Herro, the Heat have enough talent to make Monday’s game competitive. The Warriors’ Offense Is Rolling Golden State has been shooting the lights out over the last three games. According to The SF Standard’s Danny Emerman, the Warriors became the first team to have at least 10 players make a three-pointer in three consecutive games. Golden State also set a franchise record with 20 or more threes in three consecutive games. Not surprisingly, the Warriors have posted the best offensive efficiency in the league over the last two weeks, per Cleaning the Glass. Interestingly, Curry is averaging just 16.0 points over that three-game stretch and shooting just 32.0% from three-point range. The difference has been the role players. Defenses are leaving shooters wide open to focus on Curry, and the Warriors are finally making them pay. That balance will be tested Monday without Melton. The Warriors will need Podziemski, Moses Moody, and others to continue knocking down open looks if Curry draws heavy defensive attention. Final Word for the Warriors The Warriors will be without De’Anthony Melton on Monday night, but they are still in position to extend their recent success. Golden State is riding a hot offensive stretch. Jimmy Butler is playing some of his best basketball of the season. And the Warriors are at home, where they have been far more effective than on the road. The Heat are shorthanded as well, missing Tyler Herro. But Miami has shown it can win without him, and the Heat will be motivated to slow down Butler in his second game against his former team. Monday’s game tips off at 7 p.m. PT at Chase Center. The Warriors will need their role players to step up in Melton’s absence, but if they can continue shooting the way they have over the last week, they should have enough firepower to handle Miami.