Warriors Injury News: David Lee to Miss Road Trip
By David Ramil
The Golden State Warriors are off to hot start but veteran forward David Lee hasn’t been much of a factor in the team’s four victories. According to reports, the Warriors will have to find a way to keep winning without the services of Lee, who will travel with the team this weekend.
ESPN.com explaiend that Lee re-aggravated a hamstring injury that forced him out of the Warriors’ first three games of the season. The 9-year veteran came off the bench and played just seven first-half minutes in a victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday before going to the bench for good. He scored six points.
An MRI was scheduled for Thursday afternoon to further determine the extent of the injury, but it’s expected that Lee will be out of action beyond this weekend. The team faces immediate challenges on Saturday against the undefeated Houston Rockets and then the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
The report indicated that head coach Steve Kerr intends to take a “cautious approach” regarding Lee’s injury before adding:
"“I just feel bad for David because he’s had a great preseason and he’s worked so hard. You saw the impact he made on the game immediately, and for this to happen, I feel bad for him. Hopefully we get him back soon and he’ll be back in the mix and we’ll go from there.”"
Lee has always been a high-energy player and was expected to be a big piece of the Warriors’ push for the postseason.
Draymond Green has started in place of Lee and has made the most of the opportunity. He scored a career-high 24 points against the Clippers, and had eight rebounds and five assists. Kerr added that Green could continue to start in Lee’s place.
Kerr could also platoon veterans Marreese Speights and Harrison Barnes at the power forward position, one that features a hybrid lineup that includes Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston and Leandro Barbosa.
Said Kerr, “I think we have the deepest team in the NBA. Our roster is remarkable. Not only the depth of talent, but the versatility of that talent.”
While Lee has enjoyed a love-hate relationship with Warriors’ fans, his constant activity will be a big boost to a team that sees themselves as legitimate contenders.