The Golden State Warriors have one foot in the door of the Western Conference’s semi-finals. But to set up a date with the winners of the Lakers-Timberwolves series, Stephen Curry and his cohorts still need another win. And that means sealing the series against the Houston Rockets in Game 5 at the Toyota Center.

But after the narrow loss to the Dubs in Game 4, the Rockets will do anything not to lose on home soil in the upcoming game. So the Warriors will need to be at full strength to stave off the Rockets on the road. But will injuries seal their fate before the game is even played? Both Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler were on the injury report for the previous game. So, let’s look at the latest report to see whether anything’s changed on that front.

Golden State Warriors Injury Report – Will Stephen Curry play against the Rockets in Game 5?

Stephen Curry has sporadically shown up on the Golden State Warriors’ injury reports because of a thumb injury. It’s an injury he’s struggled with almost all season, needing a thumb splint to play in games. And this trend continues ahead of Game 5 against the Houston Rockets.

The Dubs’ injury report lists the 4x champ as AVAILABLE, despite his lingering injury. So it seems even if this injury is bothering him, it’s not anything Steph can’t handle in his 16th year in the NBA. But Curry isn’t the only one on the Dubs’ injury report.

Jimmy Butler, who suffered a pelvic contusion in Game 2 (thanks to Draymond Green, according to some), is also on the injury report, listed as PROBABLE for left pelvic contusion. Even so, after the shift he put in during Game 4 while playing through the pain of a left pelvic contusion, our days of doubting Jimmy Butler are over.

Finally, Gary Payton II rounds out the Dubs’ injury report. He is AVAILABLE for the 5th game in the Houston Rockets series, much like the aforementioned stars. The second-generation NBA player has an injury similar to Curry’s. However, it’s on his left hand as opposed to Steph’s right. Regardless, he, too, will play with a splint at the Toyota Center.

But that’s it for the Dubs’ injury report. It may have some key players on it, but an injury report like this one is a positive sign at this point in the season. Nonetheless, the Dubs have a job to do against Houston at the Toyota Center. And there’s one reason why getting it done in Houston would be much better than taking the series back to the Bay Area.

Here’s why the Warriors need to avoid a Game 6 and 7 in this series

The NBA regular season is quite demanding on the players. Chock-full of back-to-backs, intense road trips, and homestands, the players face a taxing schedule that takes a lot out of them. It’s why you see so many players out because of load management. Simply put, it’s not easy.

Yet somehow, the Playoffs are even more demanding. Even the man who’s played in more Playoff games than anybody else, LeBron James, said they take “everything.” And that’s what the whole motivation should be for Steph and his teammates — rest. It’s a crucial part of any athlete’s recovery. And even if they’re in peak condition, they’re ultimately human. And wrapping up the series in Game 5 will give them some much-needed rest before they move onto the Western Conference’s semi-finals.

There’s a huge chance that the series between the Lakers and the Timberwolves will last longer than 5 games. So, Steph and his team have the perfect opportunity to get a breather in before they begin their next series. And considering the fact that the Dubs will have to go up against either Anthony Edwards or the pairing of LeBron and Luka…Well, some rest sounds good, doesn’t it?

Moreover, it’ll give players with nagging injuries like Steph and Jimmy Butler a chance to heal up a little from their injuries. What we’re getting at is simple. The sooner the Dubs wrap up this series, the better. And Game 5 seems to be the perfect opportunity to do exactly that!