David Lee has seen just seven minutes of action so far this season thanks to a nagging hamstring injury, but the Warriors PF will likely see his first extended action of the season in back-to-back games on Monday and Tuesday.
Steve Kerr's Warriors host the Kings on Monday night before taking on the Lakers in a quick turnaround, and the tight schedule provides the perfect opportunity to ease Lee back into the rotation. Per Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle:
Kerr on Lee: "He looked great. The hamstring is fine. He scrimmaged 5-on-5. We’ll do the same thing (Sun), and we anticipate him playing Mon
— Rusty Simmons (@Rusty_SFChron) December 21, 2014
Steve Kerr said he'll bring David Lee off the bench and play him in short stints between the 1st-2nd quarters and 3rd-4th quarters.
— Rusty Simmons (@Rusty_SFChron) December 21, 2014
Lee averaged 18.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game for the Warriors last season, but his absence so far this year has led to an increased role for third-year forward Draymond Green. Green averaged 6.2 points and 5.0 rebounds in just under 22 minutes per game last year, but so far this season he's putting up 13.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest.
Other notes:
- The Kings' win over the Lakers on Sunday was their first win since firing head coach Mike Malone on December 15. Malone, a former Warriors assistant, was 39-67 in just over a season with the Kings.
- The Warriors could face a Lakers team missing Kobe Bryant when the two play at Staples Center on Tuesday - Bryant is considering taking time off to rest after a grueling early schedule. So far, the 36-year-old Bryant has played 957 total minutes, the 10th-most out of any NBA player. Bryant is shooting .372 from the field so far this season, his lowest average since his rookie year, when he shot .417.
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