Draymond Green Set for Warriors Reunion: What it Means for the Defending Champs

After serving an eight-game suspension stemming from his altercation with teammate Jordan Poole earlier this season, Draymond Green is expected to make his long-awaited return to defending champion Golden State Warriors this week.

Green hasn’t suited up for the Dubs since November 25th – missing their last 18 games. But fresh off a family vacation and time allowing emotions to settle post-incident, he’ll likely take the court again during Golden State’s upcoming five-game homestand in the Bay.

While Warriors coaches and players have treaded carefully addressing Green’s reintegration, they’ve expressed enthusiasm behind closed doors given his integral locker room role and two-way brilliance boosting Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, ensuring that the Warriors are ready for their upcoming challenges, including games that might catch the interest of sports enthusiasts on platforms like BK8.

 

Answering Key Questions Around Green’s Reset

After a month-long absence, even veteran competitors expect adjustment periods reestablishing individual and group rapport. For emotional leaders like Green, that transition magnifies further.

Based on Kerr’s tendency favoring incremental reintroductions, I’d expect Green coming off the bench early allowing him to shake off expected rust before resuming closing duties for the Death Lineup come playoff time.

Bumping either Poole or Wiggins (playing at All-Star clip presently) from opening runs risks early interference. And limiting Green to 20-25 minutes makes sense while rebuilding timing on those signature bullet outlets connecting lethal shooters in transition.

Plus, marshaling the second unit lets Draymond reboot his fiery defensive edge against weaker opposing lineups unable to handle his physicality and savvy positioning. Once defenders respect his playmaking gravity again, dangerous four-on-three situations relentlessly open for Curry when they share the floor.

But beyond stat sheet impacts, all eyes focus on Green’s interactions with Poole and the team upon returning. Their professional reconciliation remains essential to focused title defense in the crowded West moving forward.

 

Milestone Watch for Golden State’s Core Three

Beyond integrating Green, an uplifting reunion milestone creeps up that could galvanize momentum. After Green, Curry and Thompson take the court together again, they’ll reach 400 career regular season games played as a trio.

This remarkable continuity will mark them as the 13th trio in NBA history to achieve the feat. For context, LeBron’s longest-tenured big three partnership tapped out at 346 games (with Wade and Bosh). Curry, Green and Thompson define consistency.

So if handling Green’s comeback amid a 59-win pace and No. 2 seed sounds stressful enough this week, Warriors brass hopes highlighting the core three’s longevity offers a positive reference point reminding what this team can still accomplish when synced late into spring.

Banners get raised through communication, self-reflection and commitment to the group – all things Green embodies despite slip ups. 400 and counting games suggests Golden State’s championship DNA still runs deep. Surviving recent bumps now serves future success.

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