In the aftermath of Stephen Curry‘s injury against the Rockets, Draymond Green said the “spirit of this team” is better. He stayed optimistic about how the Warriors can handle Curry’s absence. Now, with some time to assess the situation, Green has given fans a more realistic perspective.

While speaking on the Draymond Green Show, he opened up about how Curry’s 2-week timeline for reassessment is a minimum threshold. Green expects a longer recovery timeline as Curry makes his way back from an Oblique abdominal tear.

“There’s probably no chance that he’s back in two weeks,” Green said. “An oblique injury is one of those things that, like, it kinda tells you when it’s healed. There’s no set, certain timeline.”

Green stated that some heal quicker than others depending on the severity, and some take longer. One Doctor has stated the same, offering no concrete timeline. He added that rotational strength and core strength are needed. As progress is made, Green stated that the boundary will be pushed.

“No one knows how long that will take. I think after a few days, you start to get a better picture of what it is that you’re kind of looking at.”

He stated that Curry will now be dealing with the initial soreness, but is hoping for a less severe injury.

However, despite this, he stayed firm on the fact that Curry’s recovery timeline won’t change much.

“At least without Steph for, call it, the next three weeks at least, and then you’re probably re-evaluating.”

Green emphasized that during that time, guys on the team like Yaxel Lendeborg and Brandin Podziemski will have to step up. However, he stated that Lendeborg has proven that he’s up to it, despite being a rookie.

“Both of those guys have been playing incredible; both of those guys have been stepping up.”

As a rookie, Yaxel has been a revelation, averaging 21.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. Podziemski is averaging a career-best 17.3 points, 4.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in his fourth year.

During the Warriors’ 108-115 loss against the Rockets, both of them stepped up after Curry went down. Lendeborg scored 13 of his 25 total points in the second quarter, helping the Warriors stay in the game.

Similarly, Podziemski scored 13 of his 22 points in the second half, taking over when Lendeborg slowed down. This gives the Warriors hope for when Curry is out, with Lendeborg and Podziemski forming a reliable 1-2 punch.

Green lamented that Brandon Williams is out with a mild hamstring strain. However, echoing his postgame comments, he believes the Warriors are better prepared for a Curry absence than they would have been last year.

However, the Warriors may need more than just two players stepping up. With Curry sidelined, Williams also dealing with a hamstring strain, and Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody still recovering from knee injuries, Golden State’s depth will be tested.

The team faces a challenging stretch of games, including matchups against the Spurs, Mavericks, Celtics and Grizzlies.

While Green remains optimistic about the team’s ability to stay competitive, he knows replacing Curry’s production won’t be straightforward. The Warriors may have a stronger supporting cast than they did last season, but the coming weeks will show whether Lendeborg, Podziemski and the rest of the locker room can turn that confidence into results.