SAN FRANCISCO — After a scintillating homestand full of big wins and late drama, Saturday's Warriors game was a dud. Golden State got wiped by the lowly Orlando Magic in a 115-101 loss where the crowd could never get into it. Honestly, that wasn't the biggest news of the night. Warriors guard Klay Thompson was a late scratch from Saturday’s starting lineup.
Coach Steve Kerr said Thompson would be in the starting five and Klay was announced in the the arena as part of the unit, but was replaced by Donte DiVincenzo.
The Warriors announced near the end of the first quarter that he exited with left knee soreness. After the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the organization doesn't believe it's a long-term issue.
"The training staff looked at him, and for precautionary reasons, took him out of the game," Kerr said.
DiVincenzo said the starting lineup switch was literally a last-second decision.
"I heard his name just like you guys," DiVincenzo said. "Obviously it’s a little wrench thrown in your routine, but it’s always great to start."
Thompson is two days shy of the one-year reunion of his momentous comeback from Achilles and ACL injuries, and has had his workload managed this year to keep him fresh. Thompson tore the ACL in his left knee in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals.
"You're talking about a guy who's had two major injuries in the last few years," Kerr said. "Stuff like this happens. You get a little bit older and if you've suffered some injuries, you're gonna be more susceptible to aches and pains. It's something we just have to deal with."
Thompson hasn't been playing in back-to-backs this season but has otherwise been available to play, appearing in 31 of 40 contests. He has been particularly hot on the recent homestand, averaging 33.6 points and 5.6 3-pointers made per contest. Thompson played a season-high 46 minutes on Monday in double overtime against the Hawks and is averaging 39 minutes per game on the homestand.
The conspicuous absence came on a night when the Warriors got two big players back in the fold. Andrew Wiggins returned to the starting lineup after a 15-game absence due to an adductor muscle strain and illness, while Andre Iguodala made his season debut after sitting out the first 39 games to save himself for the second half of the season.
