Warriors' Green suffers sprained ankle, questionable Wednesday

Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors got a scare on Monday in Philadelphia, but it sounds like they dodged a bullet.

The versatile forward limped off the court in the fourth quarter of Monday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers with a sprained right ankle and didn't return, but X-rays were negative and head coach Steve Kerr said the sprain isn't that bad.

He's considered questionable for Wednesday's game and Kerr suggested the team could take the cautious route with the All-Star Break to follow. If Green were to sit with an eye toward playing on Feb. 20 when the team returns to action, it will have meant a full 10 days off to rest and heal.

Green twisted the ankle after getting his foot tangled with Sixers big man Nerlens Noel, and it definitely looked worse than what the diagnosis ultimately revealed:

Green was helped to the locker room without putting any weight on his foot but downplayed the injury on social media following the game:

The 24-year-old's breakout season has been one of the driving forces behind Golden State's rise to the top of the NBA standings, with Green averaging 11.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks. The 41-9 Warriors have performed 13.5 points per-100 possessions better with the Defensive Player of the Year candidate on the court as opposed to on the bench, according to NBA.com.

An impending restricted free agent, Green's performance likely has him set to cash in with an eight-figure annual salary this summer. Making his emergence all the more impressive, Green was a second-round pick out of Michigan State in 2012.

If Green is forced to miss time, David Lee could return to the starting lineup, while Marreese Speights could also seen an uptick in his minutes. Lee has been effective in his new, reduced role as a reserve since returning from injury, averaging 8.7 points but doing so with the same offensive efficiency he's displayed in recent seasons.