Warriors confirm Iguodala to miss NBA Finals opener

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Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala will miss Thursday's opening game of the NBA Finals with a leg injury, the defending league champions confirmed on the eve of Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Iguodala will not play when the Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers meet in the first game of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena on Thursday.

He was injured in Game 3 of the series with the Rockets when he bumped knees with Houston Rockets guard James Harden.

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Iguodala missed the final four games of the Western Conference finals as the Warriors outlasted the Houston Rockets in the finale of a seven-game series earlier this week.

According to the Warriors, Iguodala was evaluated this week and is making progress. "However, the pain that accompanies the bone bruise persists, as does the inflammation of the nerve surrounding the left knee," the team said Wednesday in a statement, adding that Iguodala would be re-evaluated again before Game 2 which will be held on Sunday.

The 34-year-old swingman who was the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in Golden State's 2015 championship campaign and a key reserve in last season's 16-1 playoff run to the crown.

Iguodala, a member of the US 2012 Olympic gold medal team, is in his 14th NBA season and fifth with the Warriors, with career averages of 12.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists a game.

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)