SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Just as the defending champion Warriors received some reinforcements, Clay Thompson’s surgically repaired left knee required a fracture.
Paolo Panchero scored 25 points, Franz Wagner added 24, and the Orlando Magic defeated Golden State 115-101 on Saturday night as the Warriors dropped back-to-back home games for the first time this season.
The Magic won on the Warriors’ home floor for the first time in over 10 years.
Anthony Lamb scored a career-high 26 points with five 3 seconds off the bench for Golen State, 14 of them in the first quarter with four 3 points. Jordan Paul scored 21 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 15 points and eight rebounds, and the Warriors lost their second straight after their best winning streak On a five-game, six-game unbeaten streak at Chase Center. The game ended with Friend Bey’s buzzer-beating three-pointer for Detroit in a 122-119 win Wednesday night.
All-Star Andrew Wiggins returned and veteran Andre Iguodala made his long-awaited debut for the season, but Thompson sustained a scratch on his surgically repaired left knee. Prepare and announce with the starters during the pre-match introductions.
“I was in pain during the warm-up and the coaching staff looked at him and for precautionary reasons kept him out of the game,” said coach Steve Kerr.
Wiggins scored 12 goals in 19 minutes after missing 15 games due to a strained muscle in his right leg and a non-coronavirus illness that delayed his expected return – including missing him on Wednesday night.
Stephen Curry missed his 11th consecutive game with a partial left shoulder dislocation, but he may be back this next week – the hope is Friday in San Antonio to start a five-game road trip.
Iguodala has yet to play as the Warriors have taken a conservative approach with the 38-year-old veteran nursing a left groin injury. Received a warm welcome when first checking in at 7:28 from the first moment and every other moment, and finished in 12 minutes.
“It was unbelievable. Being able to play for Iggy Wiggs was amazing,” said Lamb, the two-way player.
Cole Anthony added 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds for Orlando.
“They took it to us all night, they were the most aggressive team,” Kerr said. “I felt like they were coming down on us and we didn’t have much of a response. We couldn’t get the crowd into it, we couldn’t generate much momentum so it felt like they were controlling the whole game.”
Magic center Moritz Wagner returned from a three-game absence, one of those being then sick with a two-game suspension for his role in an altercation with the Pistons in Detroit on December 28.
Care assistant
A 12-year-old boy from North Carolina named Braxton Barefoot fulfilled a dream of becoming an NBA coach helping Kerr through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Barefoot, who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, wore the same uniform as the Golden State coaching staff and participated in media sessions. Warriors and magicians are his favorite teams.
Tip-ins
Magic: Orlando hasn’t won in the Bay Area since beating the Warriors 102-94 on December 3, 2012, after sliding nine games. … Magic is passed 49-44.
Warriors: The Warriors were 18 out of 58 from a distance. … Iguodala was limited to 31 regular season games last season so the Golden State crew wants to make sure he’s still fresh to make another round of the playoffs this spring. … The Warriors lost their last three in the series and fell to 8-3 at home versus the Eastern Conference.
next one
The Magic: In Sacramento Monday night to continue their five-game West Coast road trip.
Warriors: Hosted the Suns on Tuesday night after losing the Final Three to Phoenix.
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