Kristaps Porzingis’ positive take on injury report ahead of Lakers clash

SAN FRANCISCO — After missing the past three games due to illness, Golden State Warriors center Kristaps Porzingis is headed in the right direction ahead of the Dubs’ matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Following the Warriors’ Friday afternoon practice, Steve Kerr gave a positive update on the big man’s status.

“Kristaps felt better in practice today. It’s the first time he’s done anything since his illness,” Kerr said. “He would be suspicious [for the Lakers game]”

It’s been a rough start to the Porzingis era in Golden State. After his mixed debut against the Boston Celtics, in which he scored 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting in 17 minutes of action, health has once again proven to be a hindrance for the big man. Before the Denver game, the first game Porzingis missed during this period, Kerr said that Porzingis’ illness was so severe that he could not leave his hotel room. And last week, Porzingis stayed at the bay to recover as the Dubs went on the road for a quick back-to-back.

With the disease rearing its head, Porzingis’ medical history with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) certainly comes to the forefront of speculation. In the past, Porzingis has struggled with POTS’ chronic symptoms, primarily an increased heart rate that later leads to dizziness and extreme fatigue.

However, the Warriors have not officially linked this particular disease to that specific condition. Details about Porzingis’ symptoms and the specifics of his illness remain scarce and vague. Still, this is an ailment that Golden State knew about when they traded for him and were confident they could manage.

So far, health has hampered Porzingis’ start in Golden State, but hopefully they can get him back against the Lakers.

Draymond Green injury update

As for other injury updates, Kerr said Draymond Green was able to participate in practice and he expects to be available against Los Angeles after lower back pain sidelined him against the Memphis Grizzlies.

But the problem with Green, lately, has been when he’s been available and on the court. Whenever Green takes the field, his decline in offensive performance has a negative impact on the rest of the team. In the last two games he has missed, the Warriors have scored more than 120 points. And in the last two games, they have decided not to finish with him; They have managed to pick up some close wins over the Phoenix Suns and Grizzlies.

On the season, when Green is on the floor, the Warriors are 4.3 points worse per 100 possessions, which is in the bottom 22nd percentile among players at his position. For a player who had historic on-off, positive plus/minus in his heyday, the situation he is in now is a far cry from his peak.

It’s a problem of which Kerr is acutely aware. Last week, he said it was up to him and the coaching staff to put him in the best position to succeed. After practice, Kerr talked about how they can find a rhythm with him out there.

“We have to read the situation. New Orleans, we found more rhythm in the second half with Dre than we did in the first, and so it’s some type of sets we can call,” Kerr said. “We’re doing some of our off-ball things. And then some adjustments that he’s going to have to make without Steph, and those are all things we talked about internally and with the whole group.”