Draymond Green on Rehab from Toe Injury: 'That [Expletive] Was Boring'

Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green made his return from an 11-game absence Monday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, marking the end of an extended rehab process—one that wasn't very fun, according to the three-time All-Star.

"That [expletive] was boring," Green told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes after his first game since Nov. 15. "Man, I couldn't wait to get cleared. That was a tough period, but it worked."

Green hasn't had to deal with many extended injury absences in his career. He averaged about 78 regular-season games per season through his first six years in the NBA, along with about 17 postseason games per year.

This year, the 28-year-old has already missed a career-high 14 contests. He discussed the rehab process with Haynes:

"It's one of those things where it's your toe. You can't do anything without your toe. Your entire body ends up resting on your toes. ... It was a great plan to get me back. When I thought I was ready, I was told to wait one more day. Then we get to Thursday, and they're saying let's be cautious and give it another couple days. Trusting the medical staff was tough at times. ... I forced myself to trust their expertise because the main goal was getting me back healthy."

Considering the Warriors are aiming to capture their fourth title in five seasons with a three-peat, taking the cautious approach with Green (and the rest of the roster) in November and December is the right thing to do. Green acknowledged as much, even if he was itching to get back on the court with his teammates.

It was a triumphant return for Green on Monday, as he recorded seven points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in 29 minutes in a 116-108 victory.