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Draymond Green's return to the Golden State Warriors lineup saw the defending champions reach another gear at both ends of the floor, yet it was one filled with anxiety; a mental battle as he fought the urge to return from an extended absence after suffering a nagging toe injury.
Green missed 11 straight games and 14 in total during a 16-game stretch, including a one-game suspension against the Atlanta Hawks mid-November for his role in the infamous locker room exchange with Kevin Durant.
The Warriors playmaker notably declared his willingness to take the floor against the Milwaukee Bucks last Friday, only to be forced to wait until this week to make his impending return, despite the itch to rejoin his teammates.
“It was a great plan to get me back,” Green told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. “When I thought I was ready, I was told to wait one more day. Then we get to Thursday, and they’re saying let’s be cautious and give it another couple days.
Trusting the medical staff was tough at times. Then I was supposed to start shooting on Monday and Tuesday, but I didn’t shoot until Saturday. But overall, it was good for me not to rush it. I was starting to question the plan, but I tried it my way the first time and came back premature. I forced myself to trust their expertise because the main goal was getting me back healthy.”
Green missed the Warriors' initial game against the Bucks at Oracle Arena, one that saw an eye-opening 23-point loss to one of the best teams in the East. Needless to say, Green was anxious for the runback but happy he didn't go against the medical expertise in his corner.
“I thought he looked really good,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr after Green posted seven points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in his return. “We kept him under 30 minutes. The initial force that he played with early in the game, you could feel the pace and the tone that he set. I thought Draymond really played a good game and it was a great, positive first step back.”
Green will likely need another pair of games under his belt before he's back to playing shape but Monday's win over the Minnesota Timberwolves was a good start to a clean bill of health.
