The Golden State Warriors were so banged up heading into Wednesday’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs that they had to play two-way player Malevy Leons for 29 minutes.
Golden State had nine active players and nine players listed as out against the Spurs. They were already without Steph Curry, who has not played since January 30, though he’s set to return on April 5.
Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody have already been ruled out for the season, while Al Horford, Quinten Post and Seth Curry have lingering injuries. Kristaps Porzingis, Gui Santos and Gary Payton II were nursing minor ailments, but they were mainly rested in the first game of a back-to-back.
Leons Plays 29 Minutes Despite Injury
GettyMalevy Leons #33 of the Golden State Warriors
The Warriors signed Leons to a two-way contract back in December. He has spent the majority of his time with the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA G League, but he has also suited up 21 times for Golden State this season.
Leons has played in 16 out of the last 18 games, mainly due to injuries to stars like Horford, Draymond Green and Porzingis. He had his best game for Golden State on February 25 against the Memphis Grizzlies. He had nine points, eight rebounds and two steals.
In Wednesday’s 127-113 loss to the Spurs, Leons was on the floor for a season-high 29 minutes. He finished with five points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Why Did Leons Shot Left-Handed?
While Leons’ grit stood out for the Warriors, it was his free-throw attempts that stole the show and went viral on social media. A natural right-hander, the Dutch forward shot with his left hand. He went 1-for-3 from the charity stripe, with his teammates cheering him on during his trips to the line.
Speaking to reporters after the game, coach Kerr praised Leons for showing a lot of heart despite an injured right wrist. It’s the reason why he had to shoot with his off-hand on Wednesday night.
“I’m sure fans don’t know this, but Malevy is right-handed and his wrist is really messed up,” Kerr said, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “So, that’s why he shot those free throws left-handed. He’s out there basically playing with one hand, and he’s flying around and he’s making energy plays. … I’m just really proud of the guys for the effort, the energy, the way they hung in, and hopefully that effort carries over into tomorrow.”
With some of the rested Warriors players expected to return on Thursday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Leons’ minutes will likely get trimmed.
Leons Comments on His Injury
In his postgame media availability, Leons opened up about his right wrist injury. He injured it on March 20 against the Detroit Pistons, but he has remained a part of the rotation.
“Since the Detroit game, and yeah, the medical staff has been working on it with me, and like doing rehab every day,” Leons said. “Yeah, hopefully slowly getting better.”
Leons added that he’s just happy to be contributing to the Warriors ahead of the NBA Play-In Tournament. He’s also doing his best to learn from players like Draymond to be an active defender for the team.
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