Golden State Warriors wing Andre Iguodala will make his 2022-23 season debut this Saturday at home against the Orlando Magic, the 19-year veteran himself said on the Point Forward podcast.
“Man, we’re 24 hours away from stepping on the court. Yes, he’s going,” Iguodala said on Friday. “You know, officially announcing it at Point Forward, we hope the fans are really excited. I’m a little nervous, but honestly, I’m also excited.
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“I try to stay calm, cool and collected all the time, but I’m excited to get on the court,” Iguodala added. “It finally happened. Many people asked; Patience is a virtue. And now here we are.
Last season, in 31 games off the bench, the 2015 NBA Finals MVP averaged 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He also shot 38 percent from the floor and 75 percent from the foul line. Iguodala missed 31 games between January and April due to back pain.
Warriors veteran forward Andre Iguodala will make his home debut on Saturday.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr was asked about Iguodala’s return on Friday. The soon-to-be 39-year-old will be under a minutes limit Saturday. Kerr said he is still assessing the Patriots’ readiness for the team’s next games.
Heading into Saturday’s matchup against Orlando, the Warriors are 20-19 and in ninth place overall in the Western Conference. They are 5.5 games behind the top-seeded Denver Nuggets.
Also, Stephen Curry (shoulder) is out indefinitely. Curry’s dislocated left shoulder is scheduled to be re-evaluated before tomorrow’s game.
Steve Kerr said Iguodala will be under a minutes restriction tomorrow, but what that will look like has yet to be determined. According to Kerr, what his presence will be like is still a back-to-back move, etc.
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__Andrews) January 6, 2023
Iguodala (hip) and Andrew Wiggins (illness) are listed as probable. Jamichael Green (foot), James Wiseman (ankle) and Jonathan Kuminga (foot) are out indefinitely.
Jonathan Isaac (knee) and Chuma Okeke (knee) are out on the injury report for Magic. Mortise Wagner (provided from suspension) has been upgraded to possible. Finally, Ball Ball (Quarantine) is out.
Orlando is winless in their last 9 meetings away from the Warriors. Not to mention, the Magic are 4-16 in their last 20 games. They are 5-5 in their last 10 contests.
Golden State is coming off a 122-119 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. The loss snapped the team’s five game winning streak. It was Detroit’s first season-series sweep of the Warriors since the 2008-09 campaign.
