Magic roll over undermanned Warriors 115-101
SAN FRANCISCO -- Paolo Banchero scored 25 points, Franz Wagner added 24 points and the Orlando Magic beat the Golden State Warriors 115-101 on Saturday night as the defending NBA champions dropped consecutive home games for the first time this season.
The Magic won on the Warriors' home floor for the first time in more than 10 years.
Anthony Lamb scored a career-high 26 points off the bench for Golen State, 14 of those in the opening quarter with four 3s. Donte DiVincenzo added 15 points and eight rebounds and the Warriors lost a second straight following a season-best five-game winning streak and six-game unbeaten stretch at Chase Center. It ended on Saddiq Bey's buzzer-beating 3-pointer for Detroit in a 122-119 victory Wednesday night.
The Warriors welcomed back reinforcements in All-Star Andrew Wiggins and veteran Andre Iguodala making his long-awaited season debut but Klay Thompson was a late scratch with soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. He warmed up and was announced with the starters during pregame introductions.
Wiggins scored 12 in 19 minutes coming back from a 15-game absence for both a strained muscle in his right upper leg and a non-COVID illness that delayed his expected return — including missing his bobblehead night Wednesday.
Stephen Curry missed his 11th straight game with a partially dislocated left shoulder but could return this coming week — the hope is Friday at San Antonio to begin a five-game road trip.
Iguodala had yet to play as the Warriors took a conservative approach with the 38-year-old veteran managing a left hip injury. He received a warm ovation when checking in for the first time at the 7:28 mark of the first and each other moment, finishing at 12 minutes.
Cole Anthony added 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds for Orlando.
Magic center Moritz Wagner returned from a three-game absence, one of those he was ill then a two-game suspension for his part in an altercation with the Pistons at Detroit on Dec. 28.
KERR'S HELPER
A 12-year-old boy from North Carolina named Braxton Barefoot fulfilled a dream to be an NBA coach helping out Steve Kerr through Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Barefoot wore the same outfit as Golden State's coaching staff and sat in on media sessions. The Warriors and Magic are his favorite teams.
Barefoot, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, has a close friend, Eli Shwaikeh, who "wants to be an NBA player and my goal is to coach him all the way."
TIP-INS
Magic: Orlando hadn't won in the Bay Area since beating the Warriors 102-94 on Dec. 3, 2012, snapping a nine-game skid. ... The Magic were outrebounded 49-44.
Warriors: Iguodala was limited to 31 regular-season games last season so Golden State's staff wants to make sure he is still fresh for another playoff run this spring. ... The Warriors have lost the last three in the series and dropped to 8-3 at home vs. the Eastern Conference.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host the Suns on Tuesday night having lost the past three to Phoenix.