As Stephen Curry continues his recovery, the Golden State Warriors are fighting to stay alive in the unforgiving Western Conference. With several injuries already, the Warriors were already underdogs against the Timberwolves on Friday. But after Draymond Green was ruled out of action, hopeful optimism turned into anxiety as they came to terms with yet another injury setback.
“Porzingis starting in place of Draymond Green, who is scratched with a back injury,” reported Joseph Dycus on X. “Green has dealt with lower back soreness throughout the season.”
Green has played all but 11 games for the Warriors this season, averaging 8.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 41.8% shooting and 33.1% shooting from three. There were no signs of discomfort in the loss to the Bulls on Tuesday, but sudden back pain hit him like a truck over the past few days, leading the Warriors to rule him out for tonight. The 36-year-old guard has reportedly been dealing with the issue all season, although it could just be an excuse to lighten his workload.
Either way, it’s not expected to be a long absence for Green, although he could be held back further if the feelings persist. He joins Stephen Curry (right patellofemoral pain syndrome), Jimmy Butler (ACL), and Moses Moody (right wrist sprain) on the sidelines, with no concrete return date.
While Dray’s stats are down across the board, his impact has been huge for the Warriors this season, especially on defense. As one of the last remnants of that historic dynasty, he’s provided steady leadership both on the court and in the locker room for years, and his versatility has also made the team more flexible, with the ability to adjust for various lineups.
Without their core players, it’s going to be interesting to see what we get from Kristaps Porzingis tonight, who is set to start for the first time in a Warriors jersey. His size and shooting will open up the floor and help create opportunities for guys like Brandin Podziemski, Pat Spencer, and Quentin Post.
Whether or not the Warriors have enough remains to be seen, but their focus isn’t on this season anyway. The priority in Golden State now is maximizing their chances in 2027, even if it means shutting down their star for the foreseeable future.
In the end, at 32-33, the Warriors are teetering on the edge, and how they perform over these next two weeks could very well set the course for the rest of the season. Having their players back for this stretch will be important, but the Warriors are not going to risk putting anyone out there for a season that’s already as good as lost.
