Green ready for spirited return
After missing 13 of 15 games, he plans to ‘lock league up’
OAKLAND >> Despite playing just 13 games this season, Warriors forward Draymond Green still believes he can achieve his goal of winning Defensive Player of the Year.
“I just got to come back and lock the league up,” said Green, who is expected to play tonight against the Timberwolves. “Which I’m more than capable of doing.”
Long considered Golden State’s emotional leader, Green’s brashness has helped push the Warriors to three championships in four years.
Now, with the All-Star back in the lineup alongside Stephen Curry, Green believes the suddenly healthy Warriors are primed for a run.
“It’s good to have our team back,” Green said. “A lot has gone on since all of us was out — in the league. Let’s try to get some normal order restored. That’s the goal.”
After playing a careerlow 70 games last season, Green — who dealt with various injuries to his shoulder, knee and groin — stepped away from the game this summer to heal. Green vacationed in Tel Aviv, France, Mexico, and the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos in search of rejuvenation. A hefty summer itinerary hasn’t helped Green’s recent bill of health. He sat out most of the preseason nursing a sore left knee and has missed 13 of the Warriors’ past 15 games with his injured toe.
“You work all summer to put yourself in a position to play and something goes wrong,” Green said. “That was the hardest part — not being able to play.”
In the last 11 games without Green, the Warriors are
giving up 110.5 points per game, 14.1 second-chance points allowed and have surrendered 49.4 points per game in the paint. In a 134-111 loss to the Bucks, the Warriors gave up a season-high 84 points in the paint in Green’s first game out of the lineup this season.
“He’s the best defensive player in the league,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I think our defensive efforts have reflected that in terms of not being as efficient. Not being able to cover as much ground.”
Green’s latest journey on the injured list has tested his patience. When he injured the toe initially in November, the three-time All-Star pushed himself back into the lineup just a week later, making the injury worse. After nearly a month on the bench, Green, lobbied with the training staff to return for Friday night’s 105-95 win over the Milwaukee Bucks — even participating in a pregame workout at Fiserv Forum before agreeing to sit out. Now, Green says he’s learned his lesson.
“Tried it my way and it didn’t work out,” Green said. “I was supposed to start back shooting two weeks ago and I got pushed back to (Friday) when we were in Detroit. No complaining for me, it didn’t quite work for me.”
The addition of Green comes as the Warriors are finding their footing. With Curry back in the lineup, Golden State has won three straight games, ascending back to the top of the Western Conference. On Friday, the Warriors had their best defensive performance of the season, holding the Bucks — the league’s best 3-point shooting team — to just 17.9 percent from beyond the arc.
With Green back, the Warriors seem primed to make one of their patented runs. Seven of the team’s next nine games are at Oracle Arena, where the Warriors are 11-2 this season.
Green’s return also presents an opportune time to make up for his biggest personal goal of the season: Winning his second career Defensive Player of the Year award. Four seasons ago, San Antonio Spurs guard Kawhi Leanard beat out Green for the award, despite playing just 64 games — further convincing Green he’d be a worthy candidate for the award this summer.
“It’s still on my mind and I’m-a get it done.”
COUSINS HEADED TO SANTA CRUZ >> Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins is expected to practice with the Santa Cruz Warriors today and Wednesday in an effort to ramp up the workload on his injured Achilles, league sources told the Bay Area News Group.
ESPN’s The Undefeated was first to report the news that Cousins will be sent down to Santa Cruz.
The plan for Cousins — who tore his Achilles in January — is to participate in five-on-five scrimmages with the G-League club today, then return to Oakland for the Warriors’ matchup against the Timberwolves . Cousins will travel back to Santa Cruz Wednesday for practice.
JONES UPDATE >> Damian Jones spoke to the media for the first time since tearing his pectoral muscle last week, says he staying positive despite suffering a potentially season-ending injury.
“I try and look at the positives on it,” Jones said. “Being depressed is not going to get me anywhere. Just got to think about the recovery.”
Jones is expected to be out until May or June at the earliest. If the Warriors are in the Finals during that time, Jones said he hopes to be in the lineup.
This is the second time Jones has had a major shoulder injury in his career.
During a pre-draft workout in 2016, Jones tore his right pectoral during a bench pressing exercise. The injury didn’t stop the Warriors from drafting Jones 30th overall in the draft weeks later. He was averaging 5.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and a block before the injury.