MY ACCOUNT
Draymond Green has returned to practice for the first time with the Golden State Warriors since early January as he closes in on a return from injury.
Green has been out since January 9 with a lower back injury but joined in shooting drills and 5-on-0 conditioning.
The All-Star forward has spent plenty of time during his rehab phase in the weight room and said he was “stronger than I’ve ever been in my life” in an ominous sign for the Warriors.
“My progress has been tremendous,” Green said. “I think, where I am today, if you knew where I was eight weeks ago or seven weeks ago, it’s night and day.”
He added: “I’m stronger than I’ve ever been in my life. I spent six weeks just sitting in the weight room, working in there for four, five hours a day.”
The Warriors remain reluctant to offer a firm timeframe on Green’s return to play, with head coach Steve Kerr simply stating it was good to have him back in team practice.
Green, however, admitted he was still weeks away but he should return to get some on-court time ahead of the playoffs, with the Warriors well placed at 43-17 and second in the west.
“I’m trying to stick to as fast as I can possibly get back,” Green said. “From where I am, you feel like it’s three weeks or so, but it could be five weeks or so. It’s no set thing.
“In a week and a half, it could be like my conditioning is at a level, my strength is at a level, my explosiveness is at a level where you can go back out there.
“Like I said, as soon as I feel like I’m whole and can get back out there and get my feet back under me before the playoffs, great. If that’s 15 games, fantastic. If it’s 10, I’ll make do. If it’s five, then five is going to have to work.”
