The Golden State Warriors received crushing news hours before tip-off against the Utah Jazz on Monday: Draymond Green has been ruled out.
Green is sidelined with a right mid-foot sprain, according to the official NBA injury report. ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported that the injury occurred when Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan landed on Green’s foot during a loose-ball sequence in Friday’s 127–123 loss.
With Green unavailable, the Warriors will now be without three key rotation players — Green, Al Horford and Jonathan Kuminga — at a moment when the team is reeling and unable to stop a mounting losing streak.
Warriors Short-Handed: Green, Horford, Kuminga All Out
The timing could not be worse.
Horford, 39, will miss at least a week due to sciatic nerve irritation — the same condition that sidelined LeBron James for the Los Angeles Lakers‘ first 14 games this season. Kuminga remains sidelined with bilateral knee tendinitis.
But of the three, Green’s absence carries the most weight, both in the box score and in the locker room. The Warriors have lost three straight, and Green is their defensive backbone, vocal leader and primary organizer on the court.
Without him, Golden State will rely on a frontcourt of Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post, neither of whom has logged consistent NBA minutes at center. The result: the Warriors get even smaller, just days after being bullied on the glass.
Jimmy Butler Calls Out Warriors: ‘We’re Just Not Guarding Anybody’
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesJimmy Butler warned the Golden State Warriors about their defense.
Following the loss to Portland, head coach Steve Kerr pointed to rebounding as the decisive factor. But six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler strongly disagrees.
The outspoken wing issued a blunt challenge to his teammates, arguing that Golden State’s problem isn’t just size — it’s effort and identity.
“We’re just not guarding anybody,” Butler said. “You’ve got to take each matchup personally.”
While Kerr focused on second-chance points, Butler said the Warriors are failing at every defensive level.
“You’re not taking anything away,” Butler said. “They were getting any shot they wanted — layups, free throws, lobs, threes.”
Even with Stephen Curry’s 38-point explosion, Butler warned that offense alone cannot save them.
“You can’t always bank on shots going in,” Butler said. “You always have to be able to guard.”
Butler Defends Green, Says Teammates Aren’t Matching His Intensity
Butler singled out Green as the player most committed to defense — and the one being hung out to dry.
“I know for a fact Dray does [take defense personally],” Butler said. “He wants to get a stop every play.”
Butler noted that Green is being forced to do everything inside:
“He’s got to help, box out, block shots, get the rebound. I’d be pissed if I was Dray, too.”
Until the Warriors adopt Green’s defensive urgency, Butler said the results will remain the same.
“Until we get back to guarding… we’re going to be in some funk for a while,” he warned.
Warriors Get Overpowered Without Size and Leadership
Portland exploited Golden State’s weakened frontcourt on Friday, grabbing 12 more offensive rebounds and turning them into a 28–10 margin in second-chance points.
Kerr summed up the defeat simply:
“What really hurt us was the second-chance opportunities,” Kerr said.
Now, without Green or Horford, the Warriors’ biggest weakness just got bigger.
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