© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
OAKLAND —Widespread injury issues have forced Warriors head coach Steve Kerr to shuffle lineups throughout the past week. The majority of the team’s injuries plague the backcourt, giving the traditional small-ball Warriors a different look for the time being.
Fortunately for Golden State, Draymond Green is active on Friday night after sitting out Wednesday’s game due to shoulder stiffness. Green’s versatility will allow Kerr to mix and match personnel.
During his pregame presser, Kerr said Green — who normally starts at the 4 position — could play some 3 against the visiting Sacramento Kings. Kerr doesn’t expect a so-called position switch to change Green’s approach.
“I don’t want Draymond out there trying to be anybody he is not,” Kerr said. “He is a very versatile player. He leads us in assists. If you look at the roster, we are really down in the backcourt and wing. We are overloaded at center. So maybe we slide Draymond down to the 3 (position) some tonight.”
On Wednesday night, a 117-106 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Warriors played without three of their four All-Stars: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green. Curry is resting an ankle injury that has continued to resurface this season, while Thompson sat out due to a fractured a thumb. Neither injury is expected to sideline either player into the playoffs, which begins April 14.
Friday night’s outlook is similar to Wednesday, as Kerr swaps Green with Kevin Durant, who is sitting out due to a fractured rib. Golden State’s starting lineup includes Quinn Cook, Nick Young, Andre Iguodala, Green, and Zaza Pachulia.
This Warriors team has largely built their status as a juggernaut due to their versatility. Green has helped build that identity. Golden State’s patented “Death Lineup” — which has been used during some of the team’s marquee NBA Finals moments — features Green at the center position, with Iguodala alongside Golden State’s four All-Stars.
Green leads the team with 7.4 assists, which ranks seventh in the NBA.
Last year, Green won the Defensive Player of the Year award after finishing second in each of the two previous seasons to Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard. Green also finished second in the NBA in plus-minus— which is used to determine a team’s success when a player is on the floor— in 2016-17.
The lineup shuffling isn’t ideal, but Green may be as well-equipped to handle the flux better than any Warrior player.
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