Injury update: Draymond Green likely out against Toronto

Kevin Rashidi of Canada.com tweeted earlier this afternoon that Draymond Green will be out for tomorrow’s game against the Toronto Raptors, essentially confirming what others had already assumed earlier in the week.

Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported on Tuesday that Draymond Green probably won’t return to action from his toe injury until Monday against the Atlanta Hawks at earliest.

Curry, surprisingly, is now ahead of Draymond Green in their separate recoveries. Green is still feeling the lingering effects of a toe sprain. Sources say Green, who has yet to return to practice, likely won’t make it back until at least the Atlanta game next Monday, meaning he’ll miss the Thursday game in Toronto and the Saturday game in Detroit.

Green has missed 9 of the last 11 games, during which time the Warriors have posted a record of 5-6 — obviously, Stephen Curry’s absence figures into that as well, but Green’s impact on defense has definitely been felt, even if it’s a small sample.

Yet in addition to being a presence on the court, Green is also an emotional leader on the court and, even though he has been on the sidelines, he has been making efforts to re-establish that after his argument with Kevin Durant.

Green hustling back to center

After the 104-92 loss to the San Antonio Spurs last Sunday, Draymond Green addressed the team and highlighted the details that needed to improve. According to Shams Charina, Green emphasized the hustle plays, battling for loose balls, etc.

Usually when Green steps out of pocket, he always manages to return his focus to the team. The postgame address is more than welcome sign that the Warriors are starting to get back to their normal.

During Wednesday’s loss at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Green was once again demonstrative and vocal. In the center of the huddle, Green was vociferous in highlighting what the team need to improve on. ESPN missed a grand opportunity to mic up the huddle.

After last Wednesday night’s game against the Thunder, Slater publicly wondered whether Green’s voice still carries the same weight as it did prior to the incident with Kevin Durant.

Each Warriors player probably took it differently. Maybe, despite the gloomy faces, it was a positive moment.

But it’s hard to ignore the optics. It’s fair to at least wonder whether Green, an emotional leader whose voice has long carried extreme weight in this locker room, has lost a bit of his vocal impact in the middle of this recent storm, at least for now.

With Green hopefully returning within the next week, we’ll have a chance to see whether leading with his actions will lend credibility to his words.