SAN FRANCISCO – Just when you thought the Golden State Warriors’ injury luck couldn’t get any worse on this brutal road trip, the basketball gods decided to twist the knife.
Already without Stephen Curry (quadriceps contusion) and Jimmy Butler (left knee soreness), the Dubs were dealt a gut-punch in Wednesday night’s heartbreaking 98-99 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers: Draymond Green is hurt… again… and it doesn’t look good.
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Late in the second quarter, with Golden State desperately trying to stay within striking distance, disaster struck. Sixers reserve big man Dominick Barlow went up for a rebound and came down awkwardly, landing directly on Draymond Green’s right foot. Green’s ankle rolled violently. The Warriors’ emotional leader immediately crumpled, clutched his foot, and signaled to the bench for a sub. He limped straight to the locker room alongside head of sports medicine Rick Celebrini, never to return.
The second half started with Trayce Jackson-Davis in Green’s place, and the official word soon followed: Green was done for the night with a right foot injury.
But the real bombshell came after the game.
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Green was spotted walking through the hallways in a protective boot on that same right foot – the exact same foot that Portland’s Donovan Clingan landed on just two weeks ago, an incident that already cost Draymond one game. Sources say the Warriors are now fearing a more significant setback, with Thursday’s MRI expected to reveal the full extent of the damage.
From rallying from 24 points down to taking a late lead, only to fall on a gut-wrenching Tyrese Maxey game-winner, the Warriors somehow found a way to make a brutal night even darker. A team that prides itself on its defensive identity and fiery heartbeat just lost the man who supplies both – at least for now.
Next man up has been the motto all season, but with Curry, Butler, and now potentially Draymond’s status up in the air, Golden State is staring at its toughest stretch yet.
Hold your breath, Dub Nation. The news on Draymond could change everything.