OAKLAND -- After winning despite a five-deep injury list Wednesday night, the Warriors will be considerably healthier when they take the court Friday night to face the Sacramento Kings.
All-Star Forward Draymond Green will return after a one-game absence to rest his sore right shoulder, and center-forward David West, though listed as probable, also is expected back after missing five games with a cyst on his right arm.
"It's a big boost," coach Steve Kerr said after practice Thursday at Oracle Arena. "We'll just keep adding guys as they come back."
The list of unavailable Warriors is now reduced to three guards: Stephen Curry, Pat McCaw and Klay Thompson. All three will be reevaluated next week.
The return of Green and West will give the Warriors a fully stocked frontcourt for the first time in two weeks and only the fourth time since mid-January. Center/forward Jordan Bell missed 17 games during that span.
In posting a 117-116 victory over the Lakers Wednesday, the Warriors started Zaza Pachulia at center, with Kevin Durant and Kevon Looney at the forwards. With Green and West out, the team activated Damian Jones and Chris Boucher from G-League Santa Cruz. Both youngsters entered the game in the final minutes.
"Last night was fun for all those young guys to play," Kerr said. "But we only have so many minutes to go around, so . . . we'll see what happens."
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Pachulia was making his first start in four weeks, while Looney was making his first this season. Both held up well. Bell tweaked his right ankle, but Kerr indicated the rookie is OK.
