MINNEAPOLIS — Draymond Green missed his third straight game on Wednesday after getting ruled out with an illness and a back injury, with the former being more significant than the latter.
Green was seen walking out of morning shootaround as it opened to the media at the Target Center. He participated, but “looked like a ghost” doing so, head coach Steve Kerr said.
“He woke up not feeling well at all,” Kerr said. “He was hoping that he’d feel better after a nap this afternoon, some hydration, but he’s just not been well.”
Green remains paramount to the Warriors, especially on the defensive end. Golden State is seven points per 100 possessions better with him on the court compared to him off it.
Missing Green against Minnesota is a major challenge. The Timberwolves are one of the biggest teams in the league, with Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Naz Reid in the front court, as well as Anthony Edwards putting pressure on the rim.
The Warriors weren’t able to get two-way center Quinten Post to Minnesota in time because of a logistical challenges, Kerr said, so their options include Kevon Looney, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Gui Santos in the nationally televised game.
Kyle Anderson (left hamstring soreness) is also out, as well as Brandin Podziemski (abdominal strain) and Jonathan Kuminga (ankle sprain). Gary Payton II is making his return from a calf strain after 10 missed games and should play a factor as a diver, but he’s 6-foot-2.
“We’ve got to fight,” Kerr said. “We’ll mix and match combinations, see what we can do. Sometimes in games like these, you go small, try to spread people out, play fast. But we also have some guys who can match up.”
In 2022, Green missed two months with the same L5-S1 disc injury, though Kerr said this current injury isn’t similar to that one, in which Green had a herniated disc.
Green played in two of the Warriors’ first three meetings with the Timberwolves this season. Wednesday night was the last time the two teams will play in the regular season.
The Warriors are 1-2 on their current four-game road trip, with the Timberwolves matchup representing the last game before heading home to the Bay. Their last loss, a 104-101 defeat to the nine-win Toronto Raptors, was one of the most frustrating of the season in the locker room and sunk the team to below .500.
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Kerr took full accountability after that game, saying it’s his job as the coach to “find a way to help this team.” While the Warriors appreciated the sentiment, everyone knows Golden State’s issues don’t start and end with the head coach.
“I don’t think that’s on him,” Andrew Wiggins said. “That’s what a leader does. Steve’s a leader. It’s on everybody.”
“When you’re going through a rut like this, playing .500 basketball or below that, you’ve got to look at yourself, not the coach,” Kevon Looney said. “We’re out there on the court, we control what happens. And we’ve got to do better.”
Before the Timberwolves game, the Warriors are 7-17 since starting the season 12-3.