In Tuesday night's clash against the New Orleans Pelicans, De'Anthony Melton seized the spotlight for the Golden State Warriors, stepping up in the absence of key players like Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and Seth Curry. Melton took charge with 21 shot attempts, connecting on 8, and made his presence felt at the free-throw line with 11 attempts. He wrapped up the game with an impressive 28 points, along with 4 rebounds and 3 assists, though the Warriors fell short, losing 113-109.
Melton's return to action on December 4th marked the end of a year-long recovery from a torn ACL, and his ability to handle such a significant role in the offense was a promising sign. After the game, Melton addressed the media about his potential participation against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, February 25, as part of Golden State's back-to-back schedule.
“I feel good. I feel solid,” Melton shared.
“Taking it day by day, seeing how tomorrow holds up. See how my body holds up and just keep checking along.
Most definitely. There were conversations about this one (back-to-back), but we kind of err on the side of the minute increase and seeing how that felt on me.
Definitely can’t wait to finally get out there just to compete with my guys on both days.”
With the likelihood that Golden State's veteran stars won't return to the court on Wednesday, Coach Steve Kerr will be looking for others in the lineup to rise to the occasion, much like Melton did on Tuesday and Al Horford did on Sunday. The Warriors are hanging tough, staying within striking distance of the Los Angeles Lakers, who currently hold the sixth spot in the Western Conference, 4.5 games ahead of them.
As the Warriors navigate these challenging times, performances like Melton's provide a glimpse of the depth and resilience that could serve them well as they aim to climb the standings and regain full strength.