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SAN FRANCISCO — Brandin Podziemski gave the Warriors a scare early in his season debut.
Less than four minutes into the Warriors’ home opener Friday night, their most durable player from a season ago was as in visible pain, laying prone on the hardwood beneath the Grizzlies’ basket.
Podziemski, who missed the Warriors’ season opener, took a hard fall — and a blow to the face from Memphis center Zach Edey — on a drive into the lane early Friday night and remained on the floor while the game continued at the other end.
Podziemski immediately retreated to the Warriors’ locker room at the next stoppage of play and re-emerged a short while later with a heating pad wrapped around his lower back.
However, it didn’t take long for the fifth-year guard to assuage any concerns about his health.
He re-entered the game, to relieved cheers from the sold-out Chase Center crowd, with 1:06 left in the quarter, intercepted a pass from former teammate Quinten Post and scored the Warriors’ final two buckets of the period.
Despite his brief detour to the locker room, Podziemski was Golden State’s leading scorer as the Warriors battled to a 34-33 first-quarter lead, converting all four of his attempts from the field for nine points.
Nevertheless, it hasn’t exactly been an auspicious start to the season for one of 18 players around the NBA to appear in all 82 games last season.
Podziemski was making his first start of the season after sitting out opening night Wednesday against the Lakers with lower back soreness. He appeared to aggravate it on his hard fall, though he looked no worse for the wear once he returned to the game.
This story will be updated.
