Warriors’ Draymond Green projects his timeline for return: “I just got
to get back and dominate”
Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green says he expects to return in
3-to-4 weeks
>SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JANUARY 18: Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green
(23) applauds a play from the bench in the second quarter of their NBA
game against the Detroit Pistons at Chase Center in San Francisco,
Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JANUARY 18: Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green
(23) applauds a play from the bench in the second quarter of their NBA
game against the Detroit Pistons at Chase Center in San Francisco,
Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
By SHAYNA RUBIN | srubin@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: February 3, 2022 at 6:19 p.m. | UPDATED: February 4, 2022 at
4:02 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/02/03/warriors-draymond-green-projects-his-timeline-for-return-i-just-got-to-get-back-and-dominate/

SAN FRANCISCO — The last time Draymond Green saw game action was January
9. But he didn’t really play, spending all of seven seconds on the court
to honor Klay Thompson’s grand return and tapping out with a calf injury
that, days later, revealed itself to be a back injury.

Thursday night, Green said he expects to be out for another
three-to-four weeks in order to regain his strength and conditioning,
based on what specialists and doctors have told him. That timeline would
have him return after the All-Star break, sometime during the first week
of March. He knows, given the nature of his injury, that timeline is
subject to change.

“I can’t put a definite timeline on it because at this point I’m just
rehabbing and building strength, letting my body heal,” Green said
before the Warriors game against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. “I
can’t guarantee that because it’s not one of those things that’s like,
‘Oh, my ankle feels better I can go back and play.’”

Knowing whispers questioning his return to action might get louder
should he remain out after four weeks, Green stated clearly he expects
to return for the Warriors’ playoff push.

“When dealing with my back, one thing I’m not going to do is rush back
out there,” he said. “If I’m not back in three weeks, that also doesn’t
mean I’m not able to play in three weeks either. I want to return when
I’m 100 percent confident that I’m healthy. When I feel like I’m in
great shape. The reality is, I don’t want to return in somewhat, not
great game shape.”

Though he received an MRI and saw specialists in Los Angeles and San
Francisco for his left disc injury, Green said he never felt any back
pain. He felt calf pain the Saturday night before Golden State’s game
against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Thompson’s return. When Green couldn’t
complete drills before the game, Warriors’ director of sports medicine
Rick Celebrini identified the cause of his calf pain to be connected to
his back.

“I’ve been talking to Draymond almost every day, and Rick Celebrini, and
surgery has never come up,” said head coach Steve Kerr, who had
complications from a back surgery in 2017. “Speaking from personal
experience, everything seems to be trending in a good direction and
hopefully, that continues to be the case.”

Added Green: “Initially, no one thought I needed surgery. Today, no one
thinks I need surgery. In saying that, you’re never out of the woods.”

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Green said he’s been getting some work in at the facility and on the
court. Putting together a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber season —
the Warriors in title contention — he’s determined to return in shape
without concern of re-injuring himself. In reference to defending DPOY
Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, who missed 10 games last season, Green
said missing a chunk of the season shouldn’t disqualify him from his
second carer DPOY award.

“I just got to get back and dominate,” Green said. “One thing is for
certain, there is no one that’s played better defense than me this year.
If I hadn’t got hurt, I would have won by a landslide.”

--
Shayna Rubin | Oakland Athletics reporter