While a Draymond Green suspension is bad news waiting to drop, the good news for the Golden State Warriors is Stephen Curry will not be out for long.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr provided an update on the MRI results of Curry’s sore knee, which came clean.
“Nothing alarming,” Kerr told reporters after their 104-101 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday night. “So I would say he’s day to day and we’ll see.”
The Warriors (6-6) have three more home games this week where Curry could make his return.
They have a back-to-back duel with the rising Oklahoma City Thunder (7-4) on Thursday and Saturday and a Monday matchup against the surging Houston Rockets (6-3).
“We’ll just have an update each day and let you know what’s going on, but it won’t be long if he misses another game or two,” Kerr assured. “It’s not going to be anything long-term.”
The promising play of rookie Brandin Podziemski could buy the Warriors some more time for Curry to get completely healthy.
The 20-year-old rookie provided the Warriors a jolt of energy and the scoring spunk they needed Tuesday night after Green and Klay Thompson’s ejection.
Podziemski dropped a career-high 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists. The rookie guard and veteran Dario Saric (21 points) were the first Warriors players outside Curry to score 20 or more points this season.
Draymond Green and Klay Thompson’s Ejection
Green and Thompson got involved in an ugly brawl less than two minutes into their rematch against the Timberwolves.
With still 10:17 in the first quarter, Thompson and Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels ignited the brawl when they started pulling and shoving each other while the Warriors were about to attack in transition.
The scuffle escalated quickly when Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert grabbed Thompson from behind. Green charged to the scene putting Gobert in a chokehold and then violently dragged him away.
Green, Thompson and McDaniels were all ejected for their roles in the brawl.
It was Green’s second ejection over the last three games.
Rudy Gobert Calls Out Draymond Green
Gobert described Green’s actions as “clown behavior.”
“It’s kind of funny because before the game, I was telling myself that Steph is not playing, so I know Draymond is going to try and get ejected,” Gobert told The Athletic. “Because every time Steph doesn’t play, (Draymond) doesn’t want to play — it’s his guy Steph. He’ll do anything he can to get ejected.”
Gobert proceeded to hit the two free throws off Green’s Flagrant Foul-Penalty 2. He scored nine points and grabbed 13 rebounds. The French center also had three blocked shots — all in the fourth quarter — to anchor Minnesota’s defense that held Golden State to only 18 points.
Then he added insult to Green’s wounds.
“Clown behavior and I’m proud of myself for being the bigger man again and again,” Gobert told The Athletic. “And yeah, (he) doesn’t even deserve me putting my hands on him. My team needed me tonight. I did whatever I could to keep my cool and then show that I wasn’t making the situation worse, and I do hope that the league is going to do what needs to be done because that’s just clown behavior.”
Green won’t meet Gobert again until March 24 when games have more stakes heading into the playoffs.
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