“When we have Draymond and James, we’ll have plenty” - Steve Kerr reckons Golden State Warriors’ lack of depth at center has led to their struggles against defending opposition bigs
The Golden State Warriors continued to struggle on the defensive end as they lost their fourth game in five outings against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.
After the game, Steve Kerr was asked about his team's recent struggles against defending opposition bigs. The Warriors head coach was quick to admit that the team is shorthanded in the center position right now. This is because James Wiseman and Draymond Green are both sidelined due to injuries.
Here's what Kerr said regarding this (via 95.7 The Game):
“We’re short-handed right now. When we have Draymond and James we’ll have plenty.”
The Golden State Warriors couldn't deal with Nikola Jokic during their latest defeat against the Denver Nuggets. The reigning NBA MVP went off for 35 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists.
Kevon Looney is the only true center available for the Warriors right now, and teams have capitalized on their lack of depth at the center position.
Nuggets dagger the Warriors with a buzzer beating 3 for the win. Warriors enter the break 1-4 in their previous five games. They just blew an 8-point lead in the final 2:37. Defense continues to struggle and Draymond Green still won't be there when they return from the break.
Draymond Green expected to be back for Golden State Warriors at some point after the All-Star break
Draymond Green, who is recovering from a lower back/disc injury, hasn't played for the Golden State Warriors since January 9th. He made a seven-second appearance in Klay Thompson's first game back from injury against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Dubs have a 13-8 record in Green's absence. Steph Curry and co. ranked 14th in offense during that stretch with a 112.4 rating. They were also eighth in defense with a 109 rating.
Green has been the backbone of the Golden State Warriors under Steve Kerr's setup. His playmaking and defensive anchoring has helped the Warriors become such a successful team this year.
The Warriors will be the most relieved team entering the All-Star break. They desperately need Green back again, and as per the latest reports, he is expected to return "at some point" after the All-Star break.
Draymond Green injury update: https://t.co/vOdOCaDMVq
The former Defensive Player of the Year has been doing light on-court work and will continue to increase his workload moving forward.
Steph Curry and Klay Thompson will also be expected to benefit when Green returns. He can take some much-needed pressure off the 'Splash Bros,' especially in the playmaking department.
The three All-Stars haven't played together since the 2019 NBA Finals. The Warriors will be a team to be feared once Green joins Curry and Thompson.