The Warriors got good news regarding Draymond Green's right knee contusion Monday.
Steve Kerr told reporters after practice that an MRI performed on Green's knee came back clean and while the coach initially believed his star forward was questionable for Tuesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Warriors a short time later upgraded him to probable for the game at Chase Center.
"[Green] practiced today, so seems to be on the right track but we'll see tomorrow," Kerr told reporters.
Green has missed the Warriors' last two games -- wins over the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves.
In addition to the absence of Green, the Warriors have been without Steph Curry (lower left leg injury) and Andrew Wiggins (personal reasons). Without three All-Stars, Golden State could have taken a step back in the Western Conference standings. But they were able to weather the storm over the weekend.
Role players like Donte DiVincenzo, Anthony Lamb, Ty Jerome, Jonathan Kuminga and rookie Patrick Baldwin Jr. did just enough to help Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole push the Warriors' record to 31-30 with 21 regular-season games remaining.
If Green indeed returns to the lineup Tuesday, it will be a welcome sight for the Warriors as they will be tasked with trying to slow down Oakland native Damian Lillard, who scored a career-high 71 points in a win over the Rockets on Sunday night.
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With the Warriors just one-and-a-half games ahead of the Blazers in the standings, every game carries massive value. Neither team can afford a loss when 10 teams in the West are separated by three games in the loss column.
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Green's impending return is the first step for the Warriors as they try to avoid the play-in tournament and secure a top-six seed in the West. Curry is expected to be re-evaluated Wednesday, while Wiggins' status is unknown.
