It looks like Draymond Green will remain out of the rotation for now. After being suspended by the Warriors against the Atlanta Hawks, the 28-year-old will reportedly be given more time off due to a lingering toe injury.
Such was revealed by head coach Steve Kerr to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, adding that they do not know how long the power forward will be out of commission. Green will thus join Steph Curry in the sidelines, out due to a groin strain, CBS Sports said.
Green is not expected to suit up when the Warriors face the Dallas Mavericks. For those who may have missed it, the temperamental forward was suspended by Warriors' management for "conduct detrimental to the team", a row tied up to his ruckus with Kevin Durant.
Although the scene was nothing new for NBA fans, it seems that the confrontation has become something serious with Green allegedly daring Durant to leave the team in free agency.
According to Green, he and KD had tackled the matter and that they were both moving forward. He singles out the fact that he is an emotional player and admitted that it may have gotten the best of him.
However, this will not stop pundits from coming up with their own conclusions - especially with the sudden time-off by Green. There will be vicious jabs on the issue, something that may include NBA trade suggestions or claims that Durant is as good as gone after the 2018-19 NBA season.
With two key players in Curry and Green in the sidelines, the road ahead has become all the more bumpy for the defending champions. The bright side is that these injuries have happened earlier in the season, meaning it would give both stars time to heal.
Also, Kerr is privileged to have a deep bench to fill in the void left by Curry and Green. Durant is expected to step up, same with Klay Thompson who can still shoot the lights out once he is fielded in.
Golden State remains as the favorite to win it all this season with an almost intact line-up and key additions. The team seen to give them a run for their money out west are the Houston Rockets, a team that continues to rediscover the chemistry it had last season.
Should they get over the Rockets, the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors stand in the way out East. The Warriors are aiming for a three-peat, something that is highly probable with the same crew and despite the distractions.
