Draymond Green may have lost a step from his peak, but the eight-time All-Defensive player is still critical to the Warriors’ success — Golden State outscores opponents by 4.2 points per 100 possessions this season when he is on the court and gets outscored when he is off.
Which is concerning because he’s going to be out at least a week with a strained calf, the team announced.
INJURY UPDATE: Draymond Green, who exited Saturday’s game against the Wizards with 9:00 minutes remaining in the first quarter due to a strained left calf, underwent an MRI yesterday. The MRI confirmed that Green suffered a mild calf strain. He will be re-evaluated in one week.
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) January 20, 2025
This will have Green missing at least four games, including against the Celtics on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and against the Lakers this weekend.
Green is averaging 8.4 points and 6 rebounds a game this season, but it is the 5.5 assists that matters more — he is critical to their ball movement on offense. Things can get stuck without him as teams load up on Stephen Curry (the trade for Dennis Schroder was supposed to help with this but has yet to produce dividends).
Gary Payton II is bumping up to the starting lineup with Green out, trying to replace some of the defensive versatility he brings. Expect Buddy Hield and Gui Santos to get more run.
