The Orlando Magic defeated the Golden State Warriors 115-101 over the weekend, handing them their second setback during an eight-game homestand. In this game, the Warriors were never able to find a rhythm because of their terrible shooting, sloppy turnovers, and weak defense all night long.
The most notable news from this game came before it even started. Klay Thompson, who was announced with the usual starting lineup, was ruled out seconds before tip-off due to what was later revealed to be left-knee soreness — the same knee which he previously had surgically repaired. Fortunately, head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the game that Thompson was pulled out as a precaution.
Steve Kerr says the Warriors removed Klay from the lineup out of precaution for his sore knee pic.twitter.com/Dud6zTjL4X
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 8, 2023
To fill the void in offensive firepower left by Thompson’s absence, Golden State turned to an unlikely hero for scoring as two-way player Anthony Lamb led the team with 22 points in the first half. He finished the game with a career-high 26 points on 9-of-20 shooting from the field, including five threes.
Anthony Lamb just wants to help the Warriors get back to being the "best team in the NBA" pic.twitter.com/hMTpIed925
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 8, 2023
Lamb has been a pleasant surprise for the Warriors this season. However, the fact that he is on a two-way contract means he is only allowed to play 50 games for the team before they have to guarantee his contract. Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area wrote about Lamb’s situation in one of his latest articles.
Via NBC Sports Bay Area:
A player signed to a two-way contract is permitted to being on a team’s active list for no more than 50 games during the regular season and cannot appear in playoff games. That means even if Lamb or Jerome is suited up for a game and doesn’t see the court, it still counts against the limit.
Lamb already has played in 31 games this season, and Jerome has appeared in 23. Jerome also has two games where he was active but didn’t play, putting his number at 25. To put everything into perspective, the Warriors have played 39 games this season and still have another 43 to go.
Lamb has given the team valuable depth as the Warriors continue to navigate through the injury woes that have hindered their roster. Golden State does have a roster spot open, but it remains to be seen if they will give that spot to Lamb or reserve it for another move further down the line.
Source: https://www.goldenstateofmind.com
