This season, the Golden State Warriors have been near unstoppable. They’ve functioned like a well-oiled machine and are having one of the best seasons in NBA history. As the playoffs approach, they must look towards the future and the health of their players. In that regard, the Warriors have some cause for concern, as a couple of key guys are still question marks for the stretch run. Is the injury bug going to hit Golden State hard, or is this just a small blip on the radar?

The key players in question are swingman and reigning NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala and reserve center Festus Ezeli. Ezeli has improved considerably since last season, and was a key staple on the second unit for much of the year. Ezeli injured his knee in January and is still a week or two away from hitting the hardwood. His absence has been felt on the defensive end, where he has improved greatly and has been a defensive anchor behind Andrew Bogut. Seeing him back in the lineup would be a welcome presence, as it would reset the rotation to a more natural transition from first team to second team.

Andre Iguodala, on the other hand, sprained his ankle a few weeks ago, and his return date is still unknown. This could be a lingering issue as the season winds down, and if he misses playoff time that could cause problems if the Warriors want to make a deep run. Iguodala is a sixth man of the year candidate, and his absence was felt sorely in the Warriors’ road loss at San Antonio. They also were without Ezeli and Bogut, but Iguodala’s length and versatility with both the first and second units is a unique factor that only Golden State can boast. Without him, they are without an important piece of the championship puzzle.

Golden State should be concerned that Iguodala is still without a timetable for return. They’ve seen what can happen when several players are out, as the game against the Spurs saw the Warriors’ lowest scoring output of the year. Injuries to role players and reserves also puts more strain on the healthy players who don’t have the ability to rest and are forced to play more minutes. It would be foolish to think that Steve Kerr doesn’t want to rest Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and the rest of the gang to stay fresh and ready for what they hope will be another long playoff run. The lack of healthy bodies, however, makes that a trickier proposition.

Considering that Golden State was only able to rest Shaun Livingston against the 76ers, it is reasonable to assert that the injuries are taking at least a little bit of a toll on the overall fatigue factor of the team. For a team that is coming off a championship run, has logged more minutes than any other team (except Cleveland), and has intentions of making another deep run, that is concerning. Golden State will hope that Ezeli and Iguodala can come back sooner than later, and that they can avoid any other injuries that could derail their historic season and leave them wondering what could have been.