Damion Lee shines against Thunder, cements himself in Warriors rotation
Damion Lee is getting more minutes and is solidifying himself into the Warriors lineup for the foreseeable future.
With four NBA seasons under his belt, Lee is showing everyone that he’s more than just Steph Curry’s brother-in-law. He’s going to be a critical piece in the rotation as someone who can produce early and often.
Last season, Lee was given a chance to prove that he can provide bench scoring and be consistent when his number is called. Warrior fans remember the game winner that Lee made versus the Bulls in early December 2020. That game gave Lee the confidence he needed, while trying to keep the bigger picture of winning in mind.
Lee finished last season with averaging 18.9 minutes, 6.5 points on 39% from three and 46% from the field while appearing in 57 games.
While the Warriors eagerly await the return of Klay Thompson into the lineup, the scoring burden rest on Lee’s shoulders along with the rest of the second unit.
Additionally, the guard rotation remains a bit on the thin side, with the Warriors front office opting to go after veteran wing players to help the bench.
The Warriors will start Steph and Poole in the backcourt, and Lee will come into the game midway through the first and third.
Lee has shown growth with his offensive capabilities as well. Before, he heavily relied on his three-point shooting, but now he has developed the ability to put the ball on the deck and create for himself and others as well as the ability to finish amongst the trees.
On Tuesday night against the Thunder, Lee had an excellent game, registering a total of 20 points on an efficient 8/14 shooting and sniping in four timely threes.
With the Warriors’ offense struggling at times, Lee continued to move the ball and play within the offense, hitting his shots off constant ball movement. Lee was one of four Warriors in double-figures that night.
One of Lee’s timely buckets came with the score at 99-92. The Warriors were looking to put away the Thunder for good and Lee drained a 26-footer from Curry, stretching the Warriors lead to ten.
Finding a consistent role in the NBA is something that young players struggle with at times. When you don’t know who you are and what you can bring to the table, sometimes you try and do too much, and sometimes you do too little.
“I’m just in the best space that I’m in mentally. In my career, it’s the first summer that I haven’t had an injury or had to rehab since 2013,” Lee said. “For me, if I start, I start, if I come off the bench, I come off the bench, but I’m comfortable and I know who I am and I know what I can bring to this team and give my all every single night.”
Now that Lee has been with the Warriors for the past four seasons, he’s familiar with the system and knows where he can find success for himself and his teammates.
“My goal is to help contribute to this team and help us get wins and be the best player that I can be,” Lee said. “This summer’s been great for me. It’s allowed me to understand my why, what I do and who I am and just being complete in the person that I am where I don’t compare with other guys like I know what I can bring and I’m comfortable with who I am in a person.”
(Photo credit: John McCoy/Getty Images)