In a postgame update to what kept Draymond Green out of tonight's demoralizing 53-point loss to the Toronto Raptors, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said the following:
Steve Kerr said Draymond Green could barely hold the ball in pregame warmups. "It was an easy decision when he said that," Kerr said.
— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) April 3, 2021
Starting in place of the former Defensive Player of the Year was Juan Toscano-Anderson, who is currently on a two-way contract with the Warriors.
With both Green and former MVP, Steph Curry out with a re-aggravated tailbone, the Warriors' slide continued with what is the second-worst loss in franchise history. The team seemed to sorely miss the two tonight, as James Wiseman's rookie struggles took a new turn, and only three Warriors ended up scoring in double digits.
What Should The Warriors Do For The Rest Of The Season?
The team now sits at 23-26 and are sitting outside of the Western Conference playoff picture in 10th place. This loss was a disheartening one, coming at the hands of a Raptors team that is now 18-30 and going through their own struggles.
The severity of Green's injury, will of course be monitored over the coming days, as the Warriors have a day to rest both him and Curry before their next game against Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks. However, with Klay Thompson gone for the season, and both of their stars riding the bench, Golden State could possibly start entertaining the prospect of shutting them down as the season winds down.
After all, they are outside of the playoff race with little chance of beating any playoff-bound team in a seven-game series, even if they did make it in. It stands to reason that a team in this situation would want to chalk up another lost year and try to develop the talent of their younger pieces like Wiseman and Kelly Oubre, Jr.
Time will tell how the Green and the Warriors proceed. But for now, they need all the rest they can get.
