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When Draymond Green suffered a calf injury, the Golden State Warriors were hoping it wasn't anything major. After missing 7 games with that injury, he returned against the Orlando Magic. The Warriors needed every minute of Green on the court. Although the statistics don't scream an amazing performance, he had a +9 in the box score.
His contributions involved all the little things. Setting effective screens, setting the offense, and helping his teammates get open. Either way, Golden State secured a 104-99 over the Magic. After the game, Green talked about how significant his calf injury truly was.
“I had a small tear in my calf, Green said via Anthony Slater on X (formerly Twitter).
Green makes life easier for his teammates, specifically superstar point guard Stephen Curry. The duo have been together for over a decade and it shows. The two are communicating on both ends of the floor. On offense, Green understands where Curry will be without him being there.
On defense, Green will call out switches, mismatches, and ways to exploit the offense. Plus, he's the vocal leader of the team. The Warriors forward isn't afraid to talk trash and stick up for his teammates.
The Warriors missed Draymond Green
Playing through a calf tear, no matter how small, is quite significant. It limits mobility in all phases of the game. Furthermore, the calf muscle is connected to the Achilles tendon, which is always a concern. Typically, recurring calf injuries hint that an Achilles injury might be on the way.
However, Green's slight tear in his calf was one of the first significant lower leg injuries. Still, it came as a hindrance to the team. After a terrific start where they were 1st in the Western Conference, things quickly went south. As a result, the Warriors are targeting guys like Zion Williamson ahead of the trade deadline.
Either way, bringing back one of the core pieces of the team is an automatic plus. Green brings the culture and identity that the Warriors represent on a nightly basis. With young players like Nathan Santos and Trayce Jackson-Davis, the veteran's leadership is more noticeable to them, than to anyone else.
At the end of the day, Green's spark will be crucial as All-Star weekend approaches. It might give Golden State time to launch a counterattack in the second half of the season. With their vocal leader back, they could make a run for the play-in spot, or legitimize a playoff spot.
