The Golden State Warriors will be without two starters on Saturday night when they play host to the Orlando Magic, and rookie Eric Paschall has been tapped by head coach Steve Kerr to enter the starting lineup for just the second time since December 18.
Draymond Green and Glen Robinson III were both scratched from the contest, and with the team being shorthanded, Paschall will be leaned on to provide support as the Warriors attempt to end their 10-game losing streak.
During the early part of the season, it was the rookie who emerged as a feel-good storyline for the club. He had some truly impactful performances before tapering off a bit in late December, but after four consecutive double-digit scoring efforts, apparently, he earned at least some trust back from his head coach.
Eric Paschall will get the start tonight with Draymond Green out
— Logan Murdock (@loganmmurdock) January 18, 2020
The Warriors will be hosting a Magic team that has been oft-discussed throughout their current Western Conference road swing. Saturday night’s contest is the fifth of their six-game trod, and they’ve gone 2-2 over their first four. The two wins came in tough contests against the Kings and Lakers, while the first game of the trip — against the Phoenix Suns — was a fairly narrow loss. They most recently endured a decisive 122-95 loss to the Clippers on Thursday night.
Paschall enters play on January 18 having scored 13.5 points and grabbing 4.5 rebounds per contest over each of his past four. He’s also shot 52.5% from the field and 60% from beyond the three-point line.
Kerr, without question, is hoping that the recent strong play continues.