SAN FRANCISCO– After missing the last three games due to illness, Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis is trending in the right direction ahead of the Dubs' matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers.
After the Warriors' Friday afternoon practice, Steve Kerr gave a positive update on the big man's status.
“Kristaps was feeling better in practice today. First time he's done much since the illness,” Kerr said. “He'll be questionable [for the Lakers game].”
It's been a rocky start for the Porzingis era in Golden State. After his mixed debut against the Boston Celtics, in which he collected 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting in 17 minutes of action, health has proven to be a hurdle once again for the big man. Ahead of the Denver game, the first game Porzingis missed in this stretch, Kerr said Porzingis's illness was severe enough that he couldn't leave his hotel room. And over the past week, Porzingis stayed back in the Bay to recover as the Dubs went on the road for a quick back-to-back.
With this illness rearing its head, Porzingis' medical history with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) certainly comes to the forefront of speculation. In the past, Porzingis has battled with the chronic symptoms of POTS, mainly the increase in heart rate that subsequently causes dizziness and extreme exhaustion.
However, the Warriors have not officially linked this particular illness to that specific condition. Details regarding Porzingis' symptoms and the specifics of his illness have been scarce and vague. Regardless, it's an illness Golden State was aware of when they traded for him and felt confident they could manage.
Thus far, health has hindered Porzingis' start in Golden State, but the hope is that they can get him back against the Lakers.
Draymond Green's injury update
As for the other injury updates, Kerr said Draymond Green was able to participate in practice and that they expect him to be available against Los Angeles after holding him out against the Memphis Grizzlies due to lower back soreness.
But the issue with Green, as of late, has been when he has been available and on the court. Green's decline on offense has had a trickle-down effect on the rest of the team whenever he sees the floor. In the last two games he's missed, the Warriors have scored more than 120 points. And in the last two games, they've decided not to close with him; they've been able to gut out some close wins over the Phoenix Suns and Grizzlies.
On the season, the Warriors are 4.3 points worse per 100 possessions when Green is on the floor, which ranks in the bottom 22nd percentile among players at his position. For a player who was a historic on-off, plus/minus positive in his heyday, where he's at now is a far cry from what he was in his prime.
It's a problem Kerr is highly aware of. Last week, he said it's on him and the coaching staff to put him in better positions to succeed. After practice, Kerr talked about how they can find a rhythm with him out there.
“We have to read the situation. New Orleans, we found more rhythm in the second half with Dray out there than we did in the first, and so it's kind of some sets that we can call,” Kerr said. “Doing some of our off-ball stuff. And then some adjustments that he has to make without Steph, and those are all things that we talked about internally, and with the whole group.”
