Draymond Green: 'I Have to Be There' for Warriors to Save Season amid Struggles

Draymond Green understands his importance to the Golden State Warriors as they try to turn their season around and make the playoffs.

Speaking to The Athletic's Anthony Slater, Green knows he has to be available for the Warriors to have a chance at getting back on track.

"I know I have to be in the game," he said. "For us to have the best chance at winning, I have to be there."

Availability has been an issue for Green thus far. The four-time All-Star missed the first two games of the season due to a sprained ankle. He did play nine of the next 10 games before receiving a five-game suspension for "escalating an on-court altercation" when he put Rudy Gobert in a headlock in the first quarter of a Nov. 14 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Green returned from that suspension and started the next six games, but got ejected in the third quarter of a Dec. 12 loss to the Phoenix Suns for striking Jusuf Nurkić in the head when they were jockeying for position on an inbounds pass.

The NBA responded by handing down an indefinite suspension for Green. He was also required to "meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play."

After missing the next 12 games, Green was reinstated by the NBA on Jan. 6. The Warriors kept him out for four additional games to allow him a ramp-up period. He came off the bench for his first three games back before being inserted into the starting five.

The Warriors are 3-3 in six games since Green made his return. They have won back-to-back games over the Philadelphia 76ers and Memphis Grizzlies. It's their first time winning consecutive games since a five-game streak from Dec. 16-23.

Their 21-24 record is 12th in the Western Conference, but only 0.5 games behind the Utah Jazz for the final spot in the play-in tournament.

Green has had a good season when he's been on the court. He's averaging 9.3 points on 42.1 percent three-point shooting, 6.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game in 21 appearances.

Golden State will look to extend its winning streak to three games on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena.