Why is Draymond Green not playing against Timberwolves? Latest on Warriors star's absence (Dec. 21)
The Golden State Warriors crossed swords against their conference rivals Minnesota Timberwolves in a crucial regular season matchup on Saturday. The Warriors had to battle Anthony Edwards and his squad without their veteran star Draymond Green, who was ruled out just before tip-off due to left ankle soreness.
In Green’s absence, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr adjusted his starting lineup, pairing franchise cornerstone Steph Curry with Dennis Schroder, Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and Trayce Jackson-Davis in the frontcourt.
Draymond Green, a four-time NBA champion, played in the Warriors' previous game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday but had his worst outing of the season. The Grizzlies’ defense effectively neutralized Green, who failed to make an impact.
In 19 minutes of play, he finished with zero points, zero rebounds and zero assists, recording just one steal while missing all four of his field goal attempts, including one 3-point shot.
Despite this performance, Green has been a consistent presence for the Warriors this season, missing only three of their 27 games, including the matchup against the Timberwolves. The veteran forward has featured in 24 games and continues to play a key role in the team’s up-and-down campaign.
This season, Green is averaging 8.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block per game while shooting 43.1% from the field, including an impressive 39.3% from 3-point range.
Warriors prevail in Draymond Green's absence
The Golden State Warriors secured an impressive 113-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves despite missing Draymond Green. Superstar Steph Curry led the charge with a dominant double-double performance, helping the Warriors improve their season record to 15-12.
Curry delivered a stellar outing, scoring 31 points along with three rebounds and 10 assists. He shot 10 of 21 from the field, including 7 of 16 from beyond the arc, in 34 minutes.
The Warriors also received key offensive contributions from Trayce Jackson-Davis (15 points), Jonathan Kuminga (11 points), Buddy Hield (11 points) and Brandin Podziemski (12 points), who all provided crucial support for Curry.
The Warriors will now prepare for their next matchup against the Indiana Pacers on Monday. Fans are hopeful that Draymond Green will recover from his injury and make his return to the lineup.