Tag: damion lee

Damion Lee surprises fans with Christmas gift: 22 points, 15 rebounds

Golden State Warriors starting shooting guard Damion Lee had one of the more memorable, surprising Christmas performances in recent memory.

Golden State Warriors starting shooting guard Damion Lee had one of the more memorable, surprising Christmas performances in recent memory.

The 27-year-old made just the sixteenth start of his NBA career but he was able to live up to the big moment on national television. Lee put up 22 points in the game, including 17 points in the second quarter alone to lead Golden State’s comeback effort against the Houston Rockets.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, he was the first player on the Warriors to record 15 points and 10 rebounds in the first half since Kevin Durant did such on October 28, 2016. He needed just sixteen minutes of action to accomplish the feat.

It was the sixth time that the two-way player has put up 20 points in a game during his NBA career.

Lee, however, had averaged just 2.8 rebounds per game since getting called up to Golden State last season. But he pulled down 15 rebounds in the match against the Rockets.

His mark against Houston was by far a career-best for boards, beating his personal record (11) when the Warriors defeated the New Orleans Pelicans on October 28, 2019.

Overall, he ended the game with more points and more rebounds than Milwaukee Bucks superstar and reigning MVP Giannis Antetkounmpo recorded during his game against the Philadelphia 76ers earlier in the afternoon on Christmas.

The accomplishment was unexpected but appreciated for fans of Golden State, who came into the game as 11.5-point underdogs. When considering it all happened alongside the allure of the holiday season, it was one that Lee will be celebrated for — and for a long time.

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Warriors end 5-game losing streak by closing out Pelicans, 106-102

The Golden State Warriors’ five-game losing streak came to an end on the back of D’Angelo Russell hitting multiple big shots against the New Orleans Pelicans to seal a victory, 106-102.

The New Orleans took a page out of the Golden State Warriors book on late December night in Chase Center. The Warriors jumped out to a significant lead in the opening period, but the Pelicans fought their way back in to set up a tight-battle that went down to the wire.

Although the Pelicans were able to cut the Dubs lead to take one of their own, for the first time in what feels like forever, the Golden State Warriors closed out a basketball game to seal a victory, 106-102.

A monumental D’Angelo Russell three-pointer tied the ballgame with 1:30 left in the fourth quarter. Damion Lee was able to give the Warriors the lead with two clutch free throws.

A suspect foul call on Draymond Green that Steve Kerr decided to challenge was upheld, tying the game again after two Brandon Ingram free throws.

However, it didn’t matter after Russell showed the world why he has ice in his veins. The Warriors All-Star nailed a deep-two with a defender in his face to give the Warriors a lead that they never gave up.

The Warriors 106-102 win snaps a five-game losing streak moving their record to 6-24 on the season.

The Warriors 106-102 win snaps a five-game losing streak moving their record to 6-24 on the season.

Splash Bros-lite

The past five season, the Golden State Warriors have repped the best backcourt in the NBA, but with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on the bench, things have changed.

Although Russell and Lee aren’t the tandem, Curry and Thompson are, Friday night against the Pelicans, they attempted their best Splash Brother impression.

Lee and Russell combined for 45 points, eight assists and eight rebounds, carrying the Warriors throughout the game. The Warriors new-look backcourt also knocked down eight shots from beyond the arc against New Orleans.

Coming Out Hot

A common theme for the Golden State Warriors is starting slow, letting the opposing team build a steady lead in the opening period, but at home against the Pelicans, things began differently.

The Warriors blitzed the Pelicans from the jump, outscoring New Orleans 31-16 in the first quarter. A 15-point advantage is rare in Golden State these days, especially unique in the first quarter.

Making their hot first quarter even more impressive is they did it without high scoring output from Russell, Green and Eric Paschall. Lee registered 10-points, and Glenn Robinson added seven— the duo combined for more points than the Pelicans in the first quarter.

Eric Paschall Injured

A win is a sign of relief Warriors, yet they’re likely holding their breath on breakout rookie, Eric Paschall’s injury. Paschall left the Pelicans game in the second quarter and was later ruled out for the game with a knee injury.

Paschall came down awkwardly when JJ Redick rolled up on his leg in the first quarter. Paschall missed two-games recently with a sore hip, but this time around, it’s a knee that took him out of the game.

The Warriors announced Paschall would undergo further evaluation.

Thanks to Ky Bowman, Warriors have the most points by two-way players

After dealing with injuries to several key players, the Warriors have been forced to rely on their players signed to two-way contracts.

After dealing with injuries to several key players, the Golden State Warriors have been forced to rely on numerous young guys this season, including rookies.

Of course, second-round pick Eric Paschall has emerged as a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate after sitting second in total points scored among first-year players.

The Warriors have also played two-way rookie Ky Bowman quite a bit this season. Of the Warriors’ 28 games, Bowman has 26 appearances so far and is a huge reason why the team has the highest production from its two-way players.

Bowman has tallied 223 points this season, good for an average of 8.6 per game. In addition to Bowman, the Warriors also have Damion Lee signed to a two-way contract and the third-year guard has scored 150 points this season, or 10.7 per game.

The addition of two-way contract was designed to allow teams an opportunity to reward players they wish to develop with higher salaries and to also provide increased depth on the roster. The Warriors have certainly needed their two-way players.

While the Warriors have utilized their two-way players extensively this season, there have been a few other teams that have done the same but not nearly to the level of the Warriors. As Anthony Slater of The Athletic pointed out on Twitter, the Warriors are lapping the field in two-way scoring:

  1. Warriors: 373
  2. Rockets: 93
  3. Heat: 93
  4. Timberwolves: 46
  5. Wizards: 34

Players signed to two-way contracts are eligible to spend up to 45 days in the NBA so the Warriors will soon have to make a decision on the future of Bowman. Service days count when a player is on the active roster, practices and travels with the NBA club.

As a result, the Warriors are burning through Bowman’s service time and will have to either sign him to a standard NBA contract or send him to the G League once his time expires. On the other hand, Lee has only 14 appearances this season and has more time left on his 45-day clock.

In any case, the two players have been a brightspot in an otherwise down season as the Warriors currently hold the worst record in the league at 5-23.

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Jacob Evans return gives Warriors healthiest lineup since opening week

The Warriors have dealt with a litany of injuries that’s derailed their season, but for the first time in weeks, Steve Kerr will finally have a healthy roster at his disposal.

Injuries have defined the Golden State Warriors season in 2019. The defending Western Conference champions have dealt with injuries to both Splash Brothers, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry, but it doesn’t stop there.

11 of the Warriors 16-man roster have missed time with injury, headlined by Curry and Thompson. However, the team’s remaining All-Stars and vital role players like D’Angelo Russell, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney and Jacob Evans have all missed multiple games.

The Warriors record has suffered drastically as the team struggles to stay healthy, but they do lead the NBA in one category— games missed due to injury. According to sportrac.com the Warriors roster has 137 games missed due to injury with the New Orleans Pelicans being the next closest team with 83.

As bad as the start of the season has been, things are looking up in Golden State with the return of several injured players. Evans is slated to be available for the first time in 21 games when the team suits up against Memphis.

The Warriors second-year pro has been struggling with a nagging adductor injury in a season that initially had high expectations. Evans was tabbed to have more of a ball-handling role in his sophomore season with Golden State, but injuries have limited his opportunities.

According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Evans’ return will give the Warriors 12 healthy and available players for the first time since opening week.

Russell, Green, and Looney all returned healthy to the Warriors last week, and now, with Evans available, Damion Lee is the only member of Golden State dealing with a short-term injury.

For the first time since Curry suffered his broken hand in late October, Steve Kerr will have some flexibility with how he uses his lineup. In a season where development for the future is vital, the Warriors will finally get a chance to use multiple rotations and see how players fit in specific roles.

They now have the ability to send two-way player Ky Bowman back to the G League to save days on his 45-day contract. The Warriors could also afford to give struggling rookie, Jordan Poole some time in Santa Cruz with their G League affiliate as well.

Report: Jacob Evans listed as available for game against Grizzlies

Warriors guard Jacob Evans will be available Monday night for the team’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

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With injuries hampering their season, the Golden State Warriors have had a carousel of guards available each game this season.

On Monday, the Warriors will have one of their young guards back. Per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, second-year player Jacob Evans is available for the Warriors’ game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Evans has missed the past 21 games with an adductor strain.

According to Slater, Warriors guard Damion Lee will be out with a broken hand injury. Lee has missed the past 13 games.

Evans has played three games this season, averaging a career-high 6.0 points and shooting a career-high 41.7% from the field. Before his injury, Evans was earning the most minutes of his career to date (14.3), and he had showed potential as a serviceable backup point guard.

In the season opener, Evans scored a career-high 14 points off the bench during the Warriors’ loss against the Los Angeles Clippers. He also made a career-high four 3-pointers.

Since Evans went out of the lineup, though, the Warriors’ guard rotation has been in flux. Steph Curry is out with a broken left hand injury. D’Angelo Russell has had an ankle sprain and thumb sprain; he’s played in 12 games.

With injuries being a major factor this season, rookie guards Ky Bowman and Jordan Poole have both started at least six games, and each of them have played 24.

This season, Evans is shooting 50% from the 3-point line on 2.7 attempts. Going forward, Evans, 22, has the potential to be a key player for Golden State because of his shooting touch.

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Pair of backcourt reinforcements nearing return to Warriors rotation

Damion Lee and Jacob Evans III are nearing a return to the Warriors backcourt rotation soon.

Injuries have headlined the start of the Golden State Warriors 2019 season, beginning with Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, but almost other every guard on the roster has caught a bite from the injury bug.

D’Angelo Russell, Jacob Evans III and Damion Lee have all missed extended time with hampering injuries. However, for the first time in 2019, the Warriors are looking healthy.

Russell returned from a nine-game absence due to a thumb injury, now both Evans and Lee are nearing a return to the Warriors backcourt. Evans has missed 20 games with a lingering adductor injury, while Lee has missed 12 games with a right-hand fracture. Both players traveled with Golden State on their five-game road trip and have been seen practicing with the team.

Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported, Lee is getting closer to a return, while Steve Kerr told reporters in Chicago, Evans will probably play when the Warriors return to Chase Center against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Before the injury, Lee was having a career season with a more significant role in Kerr’s rotation. Lee scored a career-high, 23 points earlier this season against the New Orleans Pelicans. His ability to be a microwave scorer off the bench is exactly what the struggling Warriors could use.

Evans was scheduled to be on the path to a breakout season in 2019, but injuries have stalled his season. Evans was shifting to more of a ball-handling role in his second season while developing a three-point jumper. In the first game of the season, Evans knocked down four-of-six shots from beyond the arc.

Evans and Lee’s return would give the Warriors their healthiest roster since the start of the 2019 season—giving Steve Kerr an actual guard rotation with flexibility.

The guard duo’s return would also give the Warriors some cushion with how they use rookies, Ky Bowman and Jordan Poole. Bowman could be sent to the G League to limit the usage on his 45-day two-way contract, while Poole could use Santa Cruz to build confidence within his shot. Once Lee and Evans return, Golden State will have some actual depth in the backcourt.

Positive news for trio of injured Warriors on path to return soon

Reinforcements on the way for the injured Warriors with three players potentially returning during the team’s five-game road trip.

The start of the Golden State Warriors 2019-20 season has been defined by injury. Name a player on the Golden State roster, and there’s a chance they’ve spent time attached to the injury report. The team currently leads the NBA in games missed with injury by a mile-size gap, but help could be on the way.

The Warriors got some positive news to start their five-game road trip, with three players returning to practice before Golden State tipped off with the Miami Heat.

Kevon Looney (neuropathic condition), D’Angelo Russell (right thumb), and Jacob Evans III (adductor) were all spotted at Warriors practice to start the road trip. Each player took steps towards the path to return to the Warriors lineup during the team’s five-game road swing.

Kevon Looney

After missing all but 10-minutes of the start of Golden State’s season, Looney has been back practicing with the team for almost a week now, and his return to the floor could be coming very soon. Steve Kerr told reporters during Friday’s shootaround that the Warriors are targeting the Atlanta Hawks game on Monday for Looney’s return.

Both Kerr and Looney mentioned that even though he’s healthy, he needed a couple more practices under his belt to build up conditioning. The team is being patient with Looney’s return as he’s slated to have a featured role for Kerr’s squad after signing a three-year, $15 million contract over the offseason.

Jacob Evans III

Another Warrior who had high expectations for the 2019-20 season, Jacob Evans, returned to with a full practice in Miami. Evans’s adductor injury timetable has been somewhat of a mystery, but seeing Evans on the floor is a positive sign.

The former first-round pick was slated to handle the ball as a point guard more with the departure of Shaun Livingston. Anthony Slater of The Athletic said the Warriors are planning to practice Evans again in Orlando, with a return to the lineup on this road trip being possible.

D’Angelo Russell

The best news of the day might’ve come when the Warriors injured All-Star guard was seen working out without any protection over his sprained right thumb.

After missing the past seven games, Slater said Russell could be back as soon as the team’s current road trip. Before getting injured, Russell was playing his best basketball of the season, serving as Kerr’s primary scorer on offense.

The return of Looney, Evans and Russell would give the Warriors one of their healthiest units since the start of the season. By the end of the five-game road trip, Golden State could finally get a glimpse of Draymond Green, Eric Paschall, Russell and Looney on the floor together— all players who look to be apart of the team’s long term plans.

Damion Lee will be sidelined at least 2 weeks with right hand fracture

With a date against the Lakers on tap, the Warriors will head to Los Angeles somewhat shorthanded with Damion Lee headed to the shelf.

First Stephen Curry, now Damion Lee.

On Tuesday, Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports reported that Warriors third-year man Damion Lee has suffered a non-displaced fracture in his right hand and will be out of the lineup for the Dubs for at least the next two weeks.

In the early goings of the season, Lee has averaged 10 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game for the Warriors in 21.9 minutes per contest, so his loss will be felt.

The unfortunate news comes shortly after Stephen Curry also fractured a bone in his hand. Curry, however, required surgery and, as a result, will be out until at least February. Fortunately, Lee’s injury doesn’t seem to be nearly as serious.

In the early goings of the season, Steve Kerr has seemingly been playing musical chairs with his bench. Draymond Green, D’Angelo Russell and Eric Paschall have each missed time, and obviously, Curry is out for the foreseeable future.

On Monday night, Golden State suffered its fourth consecutive loss and entered play on November 12 with the league’s worst record. To make matters even worse, they have a date with the Los Angeles Lakers—owners of the league’s second best record—on Wednesday.

With Green rejoining the lineup on Monday, reinforcements have arrived, but now, Kerr’s team has one less body to turn to.