Andre Iguodala Will Miss Season Opener vs. Rockets Due to Back Injury

The Golden State Warriors announced Andre Iguodala will be out for Tuesday's 2017-18 season opener against the Houston Rockets at Oracle Arena while he nurses a back strain.     

Steve Kerr said Iguodala tweaked his back in the weight room over the weekend, and should be fine for the upcoming road trip, per Anthony Slater of the Atlantic. 

Omri Casspi will be available to play against the Rockets despite dealing with a mild right ankle sprain, so he'll be an option off the bench for Golden State to spell Kevin Durant at the 3. Nick Young could also see an increased role in his regular-season debut for the team.      

Iguodala signed a three-year, $48 million extension with the Warriors in the offseason after having another strong campaign as a reserve for Golden State. He averaged 7.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 76 games.

Iguodala's defensive versatility is invaluable to the Warriors, especially when it comes to guarding LeBron James. The 33-year-old is one of the few players who can truly match up defensively with the King.

Missing Iguodala for the opener shouldn't mean much in the grand scheme of things for the Warriors. Golden State lost at home by 29 points to the San Antonio Spurs in its first game last season and still went on to win an NBA title with relative ease.

Iguodala's long-term health is the bigger concern. He dealt with back problems during the 2016 NBA Finals, which Golden State lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games. A nagging back injury to Iguodala wouldn't make the Warriors underdogs in the Western Conference, but it would make their title defense a little more difficult.

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