National Basketball Association

Lee back from eight-game absence

Published Nov. 27, 2010 8:23 p.m. ET

foxsports

Golden State Warriors forward David Lee has been activated after missing eight games with a staph infection in his left elbow.

Lee started for the Warriors on Saturday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Lee leads the team with 11.3 rebounds per game and is averaging 14.3 points.

The Warriors certainly were happy to see their big offseason acquisition back in the lineup. With Lee, Golden State got off to a surprising 6-2 start. But they are 1-7 without him and lost five in a row heading into the game against Minnesota.

Lee had surgery two days after he cut his elbow on New York forward Wilson Chandler's teeth. A portion of Chandler's tooth stayed in Lee's arm, causing a dangerous infection.