Sixers small forward Danny Green to miss 2 to 5 weeks with Grade 2 right calf strain
Green suffered the injury in the opening moments of Game 3 against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.
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ATLANTA — Danny Green will miss the remainder of the Eastern Conference semifinals, and perhaps the rest of the postseason.
The 76ers small forward suffered a game-ending Grade II right calf strain early in Friday’s Game 3 victory over the Altanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. The best-case scenario is for him to return in two weeks after he’s reevaluated. However, he could be out for as many as five weeks. Returning in two weeks would be a bit optimistic.
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Harrison Sanford, Green’s co-host on Inside The Green Room, said there’s a chance that Green skips attending Monday night’s Game 4 in Atlanta, preferring to stay in the Philadelphia area to begin rehabilitating his injury. Sanford added that Green is optimistic that he’ll return later in the playoffs, assuming the Sixers hold their ground and advance in the postseason.
Right now, the Sixers hold a 2-1 advantage over the Hawks in the best-of-seven series.
The conference finals could begin as early as June 21. The NBA Finals will begin July 8.
Assuming Green is out the full five weeks, that would mean he wouldn’t return until Game 5 of the Finals, if the Sixers advance that far.
The 33-year-old veteran averaged just 3.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 rebounds in the conference semifinals. He was in a slump, shooting just 30.8 % from the field, making just 1 of 9 three-pointers. However, Green was the starting lineup’s glue guy and one of the team’s veteran leaders.
The Sixers acquired Green in December along with Terrance Ferguson and Vincent Poirier from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Al Horford, a protected 2025 first-round pick, Theo Maledon (the 34th pick in the draft), and the rights to Vasilije Micic.
Green was a much-needed veteran addition for the Sixers, for more than just his stellar locker-room presence.
He established himself as one of the league’s top three-and-D players while playing alongside the likes of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis over stops with four teams in 11 seasons before joining the Sixers.
He helped the Los Angeles Lakers win last season’s NBA title, marking Green’s second straight championship and third overall. He also won it with the 2019 Toronto Raptors and the 2014 San Antonio Spurs.
Green averaged 9.5 points while shooting 40.5% on three-pointers during his first regular season with the Sixers. He becomes a free agent at the conclusion of the season.