After an ankle injury kept Draymond Green sidelined for the first two Warriors games of the 2023-24 NBA season, the veteran forward will return to the court on Sunday.
Green on Saturday told reporters he will make his season debut against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center, about a month after he first sustained a sprained left ankle this offseason. While Green said he expects he'll be placed on a minutes restriction, he told reporters at Saturday's practice that he's unsure whether he'll start or come off the bench (h/t The Athletic's Anthony Slater).
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Green was cleared to participate in 5-on-5 practice last week after also missing all of the Warriors' preseason games. The ankle injury came just before training camp, when he came down on teammate Jonathan Kuminga's foot while going up for a layup during a pickup game.
The Warriors are 1-1 without their defensive leader on the floor, falling to the Phoenix Suns in their season opener and defeating the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on Friday night. As they continue to learn a new routine with Chris Paul on the floor, Green's return will add a needed element -- and another piece to Steve Kerr's puzzle.