Point guard C.J. Watson will be out of the Warriors lineup indefinitely after an MRI performed Wednesday revealed a sprain and a torn ligament in his right elbow.
Watson's injury, which took place during Tuesday night's game against Lithuanian club Lietuvos Rytas, will not require surgery. According to team officials, Watson will begin rehabilitation immediately and will be fitted for a brace when he returns to practice.
The timetable for his return to the lineup, officials said, will partly be determined by his comfort level with the brace.
Early in Tuesday's game, Watson was sent sprawling over the floor seats underneath the basket after a foul by Lietuvos' Steponas Babrauskas. Watson landed on a concrete walkway and said Wednesday that he felt the elbow "pop a little"
as he tried to plant himself for the fall.
A second doctor, Dr. John Belzer of San Francisco, examined the MRI results Thursday, leading to speculation that the injury was more serious than the initial diagnosis of a strain.
Given the injury to Monta Ellis, Warriors coach Don Nelson had said Watson would probably end up as a starter at some point early in the season because of his familiarity with the system.
Now it appears DeMarcus Nelson will start at point guard for next Wednesday's season opener against New Orleans, with Marcus Williams as the backup. Swingman Stephen Jackson also has spent time recently playing the point.
"It's another bullet we took. I wouldn't say it's dire straits, but it was a position we were lacking in anyway,"
said Nelson, who was a bit irritated during Thursday's practice because of Watson's injury.
If Watson is out for a while, it's possible the Warriors could pluck another guard off the waiver wire if they're not content with just having Nelson or Williams at the point.
Gaining experience
During his three years at Alabama, forward Richard Hendrix was used to a more deliberate style that saw the ball pass through the post's hands almost every time down the floor. Now he's adjusting to Golden State's up-tempo brand, which doesn't always lend itself to large offensive contributions from the bruisers down low.
"My whole life I've always been used to being the guy that was the focal point,"
said Hendrix, the Warriors' second-round pick this year. "The ball was always in my hands to make plays, so that's probably the biggest adjustment for me right now. Just learning how to play without the ball, playing a role that has limited touches."
As a junior last season with the Crimson Tide, Hendrix was the only player in the SEC to average double figures in points (17.8) and rebounds (10.1). So far this preseason, Hendrix has played a combined 36 minutes in three games.
Hendrix, who's 6-foot-9 and 255 pounds, had 13 rebounds and 12 points against Oklahoma City on Oct. 11 but played just 14 minutes in two games against Milwaukee in China and was a healthy scratch for Tuesday's contest against Lietuvos.
"He's an interesting guy,"
Nelson said of Hendrix. "He has an NBA body and NBA desire, but he's not NBA ready."
Right now, the Warriors have 16 players and need to trim one more from the roster by 3 p.m. Monday. On Thursday, Nelson wouldn't say whether Hendrix has locked up a spot. It's believed that either Hendrix, guard Anthony Morrow or forward Rob Kurz will be let go.
Tip-in
Forward Corey Maggette will likely be practicing again by Saturday. Maggette suffered a strained right hamstring Oct. 17 against Milwaukee in Beijing.
— Curtis Pashelka
