D’Angelo Russell expected to return vs. Hornets after 9-game absence

The Golden State Warriors have been the walking wounded this season, with quite a few of the members of the team missing significant time this season due to injury.

Fortunately for the club, it appears that D’Angelo Russell may be returning to the lineup after missing the team’s previous nine games. The news comes courtesy of Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Russell last played on November 15 when he suffered a sprained right ankle against the Boston Celtics. The injury was a significant blow to Golden State, as the team was attempting to build some positive momentum after beginning the season on a less-than-stellar note.

Russell entered the November 15 contest against the Celtics averaging 25.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. In his absence, head coach Steve Kerr has mostly gone with Draymond Green and Ky Bowman to orchestrate the offense, but it appears that this won’t be necessary when the Warriors do battle with the Hornets in Charlotte on Wednesday night.

D’Angelo Russell is likely to return tonight in Charlotte after a 9-game absence. Draymond Green will return after a 1-game rest. That’ll give the Warriors 11 healthy bodies. “I don’t know what to do,” Kerr joked.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 4, 2019

On a related note, according to The Athletic, Green is also expected to be in uniform. The former Defensive Player of the Year had a scheduled rest day which caused him to miss the team’s previous contest on Dec. 2 at the Atlanta Hawks.