© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
For the first time since March 11, the Warriors will have at least two of their four All-Stars on the court.
In an interview with KNBR on Wednesday, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said Kevin Durant and Draymond Green will return to the lineup on Thursday night, when Golden State hosts the Milwaukee Bucks. Durant has missed the past six games with an incomplete rib cartilage fracture. Green has sat the past three games due to a pelvic contusion and sickness. Kerr also expects Klay Thompson to return to the court either Saturday or Sunday.
“Kevin was ready to go (Tuesday) night and wasn’t really happy with us for not letting him play,” Kerr said. “I understood where he was coming from, but he understood where we were coming from, too. We can’t afford to let anything else go wrong.”
The Warriors have been forced to play without their four All-Stars for the majority of the past two weeks. Stephen Curry returned from an ankle injury against the Atlanta Hawks last Friday, then sprained his knee in the third quarter. He is expected to return sometime in either the first or second round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs, which begin on April 14.
The excess of injuries has given Golden State’s role players valuable playing time. Kerr prefers to focus on this silver lining instead of dwelling on the negatives.
“These games right now, they have been great for our young guys for their development,” Kerr said. “Results are not that important, frankly. We have to be extra cautious with these guys coming off injuries.”
With eight games remaining, the Warriors have all but secured the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed. Healthy has taken precedence over winning, for the time being.
If Golden State returns a fully loaded lineup when it matters most, the recent flood of injuries could ultimately become a blessing.
Point guard Quinn Cook has most notably looked more comfortable throughout the past two weeks. He has averaged 18.1 points and nearly five assists in the past seven games. Forward Kevon Looney is also blossoming, using increased floor time to show his worth on the defensive end and offensive glass.
Curry, Green, Thompson, and Durant combine for a whopping 84 points per game. Golden State’s role players have been forced to find their own offense, contrary to previously, when many of their open looks came because of the All-Stars’ collective presence.
“The good thing is when the stars come back the game get so much easier for everyone else,” Kerr said. “It’s going to be really beneficial for all of them.”