Draymond Green out for Warriors-Nuggets; Gary Payton II questionable originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
As the Warriors close out a difficult road trip, they could be without two important defenders.
Draymond Green has been ruled out of Golden State’s matchup against the defending champion Denver Nuggets on Wednesday at Ball Arena due to personal reasons.
In addition to being without their defensive anchor, Gary Payton II also could miss Wednesday’s game due to an illness.
The end of a four-game road trip in Denver just got a lot tougher. No Draymond Green (personal reasons). Gary Payton II is questionable (illness)
GP2 has been huge. Warriors will need players like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to have big games
— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) November 8, 2023
The Warriors are playing their third game in four days and their fourth consecutive game on the road. After a thrilling two-point win in Oklahoma City against the Thunder, a loss in Cleveland to the Cavaliers and a win against the Pistons in Detroit, Golden State will end its current road trip in the Mile High City in what’s expected to be no easy matchup.
They certainly would like to complete this difficult road stretch with a 3-1 winning record versus a 2-2 record, but that could become more challenging with Green out.
After leading the West for the majority of the 2022-23 NBA season, the Nuggets (7-1) remain atop the Western Conference with just one loss on the season. The Warriors (6-2) aren’t far behind in third place.
Green, 33, missed all of preseason and the first two regular-season games for the Warriors due to an ankle injury he sustained right before the start of training camp.
In six games this season, Green is averaging 10.3 points on 46.7 percent shooting, with 5.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 0.8 steals in 25.9 minutes.
With or without Green, and possibly without Payton II, the Warriors will rely on their “Strength in Numbers” as they take on the reigning champs.
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