Green will sit out Christmas matchup against Milwaukee
Warriors forward Draymond Green will not play Friday in Milwaukee, head coach Steve Kerr said, further delaying his start to the 2020-21 season.
Green (right foot) was sidelined for the Warriors’ first game of the season, an opening-night loss to the Brooklyn Nets, after missing all of training camp and preseason because of a positive coronavirus test. He practiced with the team fully Wednesday but has not been cleared to return.
With an offense out of sync and their defensive effort lacking intensity in a blowout loss to the Nets, the Warriors look forward to Green’s return. Green will help organize the offense as a ball-handler and fortify Golden State’s frontcourt alongside rookie center James Wiseman.
On Tuesday, the Warriors started Eric Paschall at power forward alongside Stephen Curry, Kelly Oubre Jr., Andrew Wiggins and Wiseman. However, Kerr said he has not yet decided on what his starting lineup will be Christmas Day, and is open to different starting lineup options.
“Everything is fluid right now, everything is a possibility,” Kerr said. “We don’t have a rotation, we don’t have a semblance of an identity. That’s what we’re trying to build. So, I think it’s important to reward guys now if they play well.” PASCHALL CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE >> After a pedestrian preseason filling in for Green as the team’s starting power forward, Paschall looked outmatched in Tuesday’s opener. He finished with six points, one rebound, and was a team-worst minus-28 in 21 minutes. Defensively, he was f latfooted. In the first quarter, Durant blew by him for two quick scores and Kerr quickly shifted his assignment. By the start of the second half, Kerr swapped him out for two-way contract forward Juan Toscano-Anderson.
Last year, Paschall was often the fulcrum of the offense and used that opportunity to isolate and score. This season, with Curry back and spacing a priority, Paschall is playing a different role. A 28.7% 3-point shooter last season, he needs to knock them down from the corner this season. Most of all, he needs to be a defensive stopper. The changing role is something Kerr and Paschall talk about often.
“This is a totally different season,” Kerr said. “Last year he was a beneficiary of circumstances, one that we played through quite a bit. And this year is going to be about his defense.”