Golden State Warriors

Welcome back to the NBA, Chris Hunter. Meet Greg Oden.

The NBA approved a request by the injury-plagued Warriors to exceed the roster limit of 15 Friday, and general manager Larry Riley dipped into the NBA Developmental League to grab one of its stars from last season, the 6-foot-11, 240-pound Hunter.

"I'd never see him before," Warriors coach Don Nelson admitted. "I'd never met him."

Nor had Hunter ever played in an NBA regular-season game.

Nonetheless, the Michigan product got pressed into immediate duty for the desperate Warriors, going head-to-head with Oden for most of his 14 minutes and holding his own, helping Golden State defeat the Trail Blazers 108-94 in Oakland.

The 25-year-old Hunter, whose previous NBA experience consisted of exhibition contests and sitting on the bench for one regular-season game as a Knick last season, watched the Warriors use a 17-4 run to overcome an 11-point deficit and take a 56-52 halftime lead.

He then got the call to start the second half on Oden and held him scoreless for his entire 7:10 stint. Meanwhile, the new Warrior snuck outside to hit two jumpers, helping Golden State increase its lead to six.

The best was yet to come. Rushed back into the game with the Warriors still up six and 10:30 remaining, Hunter contributed a steal and a rebound to a game-clinching, 18-7 Warriors spurt, limiting Oden to three points in almost seven minutes.

"Coach just said be ready ... ready for two minutes or 22 minutes. So I was ready to go whatever he asked of me," Hunter admitted afterward.

With 15 guaranteed contracts on the roster, the Warriors aren't likely to keep Hunter long-term. But with none of the seven injured players expected back anytime soon, the big guy just might stick around a while.

Nelson already is pondering his options.

"That guy belongs in the NBA," the veteran coach insisted. "Hopefully we can find some way to keep him. He's probably stronger than anyone I have at that position."

If Hunter thought Oden was tough ... the Warriors' next three games are against the Mavericks, Spurs and Lakers.

Introducing Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan and Pau Gasol.

Don't be surprised if Hunter starts against at least one of them.

WARRIORS 108, TRAIL BLAZERS 94: The Warriors took great joy in just being competitive on back-to-back nights in Cleveland and Boston earlier this week to end their five-game road trip. Actually coming out on top Friday against another quality club -- the Trail Blazers -- was even more satisfying. Monta Ellis played exceptionally over the entire 48 minutes, four teammates supported him with double-figure scoring and first-day Warrior Chris Hunter battled Greg Oden evenly over 14 minutes as Golden State recorded its most impressive win of the young season.

• Coach Don Nelson did not go on the team's two-game road trip to Texas because he has been diagnosed with pneumonia. Assistant coach Keith Smart is running the team in his absence.

• The Warriors' 108-94 win over Portland on Friday night was their ninth in a row over the Trail Blazers in Oakland. Golden State's last home loss to Portland was more than five years ago—Nov. 4, 2004.

• The Warriors snapped a three-game losing streak.

• The Warriors' previous three wins (against Memphis, New York and Minnesota) were over teams with a combined 7-28 record through Friday's games. Portland entered the contest with a 9-4 mark.

• The Trail Blazers had held each of their last six opponents to 85 points or fewer in regulation. The Warriors had 83 points by the end of the third quarter.

• Because of the team's injury situation, the NBA allowed the Warriors to sign a 16th player to their roster. Chris Hunter, a 25-year-old center who averaged 19.3 points per game in the NBA Developmental League last season, joined the Warriors to be an eighth healthy body in uniform. Without the benefit of a single practice with the team, he played 14 minutes, contributing four points, three rebounds, a steal and a blocked shot to the win.

• The WNBA has expressed an interest in moving the Sacramento Monarchs franchise, which folded Friday, to the San Francisco Bay Area, but so far Warriors ownership hasn't shown any interest in buying. The Monarchs were owned for 12 years by the Maloof brothers, who own the Kings.

Quote To Note:

"It was just a fun game. It's what we've been missing."

Rotation:

Starters—Point guard Stephen Curry, Shooting guard Monta Ellis, Small forward Anthony Morrow, Power forward Corey Maggette, Center Mikki Moore. Bench—Forward Vladimir Radmanovic, Forward Anthony Randolph, Center Chris Hunter.

Player Notes:

• G Monta Ellis played all 48 minutes for the first time this season in Friday's win over Portland and had his best game of the season. He shot well (13-for-28, season-best 34 points), passed well (eight assists) and defended well (six steals, two blocked shots). Ellis has sat out a total of just 10 minutes in the three games since Stephen Jackson was traded to Charlotte. The 30-plus-point night was the 17th of Ellis' career.

• F Anthony Morrow also went the distance in the win and continued a trend in which he's played great in wins and not-so-good in losses. He's shot 28-for-41 overall and an amazing 14-for-19 on 3-pointers, averaging 18.5 points, in the Warriors' four wins. But he's missed 35 of his 61 shots, including 17 of his 27 3's, in the club's eight losses, averaging just 9.0 points in those games.

• G Stephen Curry almost joined Ellis and Morrow in never coming out of the action, but fouled out with 2:26 to go after playing the first 45 1/2 minutes. The disqualification was the second of Curry's foul-plagued career. He has gotten nailed with four or more fouls in six of his 12 games.

• F Anthony Randolph had another of his sometimes brilliant, sometimes embarrassing efforts, offsetting an 11-rebound night (seven on the offensive boards) with six turnovers. The 11 rebounds matched his season high.

Medical Watch:

• F Brandan Wright (torn labrum) underwent surgery Oct. 9. His recovery time is estimated to be six months, so there's a good chance he won't play at all in 2009-10.

• C Andris Biedrins (strained groin and abdominal muscles) was told to take two weeks off after experiencing what he thought was back pain in the Nov. 7 loss at Sacramento. He will be re-evaluated Monday and could miss additional time.

• C Ronny Turiaf (sprained left knee) has progressed slowly after suffering the injury Oct. 30. An MRI revealed no damage. Warriors coach Don Nelson told reporters Tuesday that he expects Biedrins to return before Turiaf, which means the backup center could miss most of the rest of the month.

• F Kelenna Azubuike (torn patella tendon) had surgery in Phoenix on Wednesday and will miss the rest of the season.

• G Raja Bell (torn wrist ligament) flew to Charlotte to have surgery on his left wrist. The procedure is tentatively scheduled for next week. It's possible he could return in as little as a month, but more likely he will miss most—if not all—of the rest of the season.

• G C.J. Watson (swine flu) returned to the San Francisco Bay Area after last Saturday's loss at Milwaukee and tested positive for swine flu. He has missed the last three games and the Warriors aren't sure when he'll return. They hope to have him back for their next game—Tuesday at Dallas.

• F Devean George (sore left knee) has yet to see action in the regular season. His injury is not considered serious.

• G Speedy Claxton (knee) is unlikely to play this season.