Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski will miss the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night due to lower back soreness. Podziemski sat out the previous three days of practice, and the team first listed him as questionable before officially ruling him out on the eve of the game.
The absence is a surprise. On an older Warriors roster, the 23-year-old guard is considered the team's most durable and reliably available rotation player. He appeared in all 82 games last season, one of only 18 players to do so. Podziemski is entering his fourth NBA season and recently signed a five-year, $110 million extension that kicks in next season.
The Warriors will also be missing several key players. Starting wings Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are expected to be out for the next couple of months while rehabbing serious knee injuries. Projected starting center Kristaps Porzingis is out indefinitely due to a private health issue.
Stephen Curry, listed as probable with right ankle soreness after a scare in Sunday's open scrimmage, is expected to play against the Lakers after returning to practice this week. He is projected to log roughly 28-32 minutes.
The Lakers enter in better health. Offseason acquisition Walker Kessler has been cleared to start at center after dealing with a finger issue in the preseason. Reserve guard Collin Sexton is questionable with a calf strain, while rookie Cameron Carr and backup wing Adou Thiero are out. Everyone else is available.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing