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Draymond Green Ruled Out for Warriors vs. Raptors with Finger Injury
April 2, 2021
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green is out for his team's road game against the Toronto Raptors in Tampa, Florida, on Friday because of injury. Juan Toscano-Anderson took his place in the starting five.
Per Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Green suffered hip and finger ailments during the Warriors' 116-109 loss to the Miami Heat on Thursday. Golden State is also without Stephen Curry (bruised tailbone) for the Raps game, and Jordan Poole is filling in for him.
The Warriors had to reset expectations for 2020-21 from the moment it became clear Klay Thompson tore his right Achilles tendon. And while the addition of Kelly Oubre Jr. has helped, his arrival didn't leave the roster any less top-heavy.
That put a lot of pressure on Green to deliver.
The three-time All-Star continues to be a bit of a Swiss Army knife, but it's hard to look past his offensive struggles. Through 41 games, he's averaging 6.3 points, 8.4 assists and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 41.0 percent from the floor and 26.8 percent from beyond the arc.
But Golden State can ill-afford to be without Green for an extended stretch. Beyond the leadership and continuity he provides on the floor, Eric Paschall is the only other natural power forward available on the roster. Marquese Chriss was lost for the year in December because of an ankle injury.
The Warriors have the pieces to return to the playoffs after missing out in 2020. Should Green's injuries linger for more than a few games, though, Golden State's only avenue into the postseason could wind up being via the play-in tournament.