Golden State Warriors vs. Toronto Raptors Pick & Prediction JANUARY 7th 2024

The Golden State Warriors expect to welcome back Draymond Green, albeit in a non-playing capacity, when they host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night in San Francisco.

The NBA lifted Green’s indefinite suspension Saturday, formally giving him the green light to work out with the team after missing all practices — and 12 games — following a run-in with Jusuf Nurkic in a game against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 12.

Golden State, which was 10-13 at the time, has since gone 7-5.

While Green is eligible to play against the Raptors, he is expected to need time to work his way back into game shape. The Warriors complete a seven-game homestand on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans.

If Green settles into a front-row seat for Sunday’s contest, he could find himself next to Chris Paul, who sustained a broken left hand in Friday’s 113-109 win over the Detroit Pistons.

The incident occurred when Paul, chasing an offensive rebound, got his hand entangled in Jaden Ivey’s jersey. The oft-injured veteran immediately detected a problem, was taken to the locker room, and X-rays diagnosed the extent of the damage.

Surgery has been scheduled for next week.

“I just feel for him personally because he does such an amazing job of taking care of his body, preparing himself day in, day out,” Warriors star Stephen Curry noted. “Nobody sees the hours he puts in, especially at this stage of his career.”

Paul’s injury is expected to mean more playing time for impressive rookie Brandin Podziemski, who had 11 points off the bench Friday, and veteran Cory Joseph, who played about 51 minutes when Paul missed three games in late November and early December.

While the Warriors were winning Friday, just their second victory in the first five games of their homestand, the Raptors were losing in Sacramento. Toronto is 1-1 to start its six-game Western swing.

Coming off a 116-111 win at Memphis two days earlier, the Raptors used balanced scoring to hang with the Kings before falling 135-130.

Newcomers Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett scored 20 and 14 points, respectively, against the Kings in just their third game since being acquired from the New York Knicks for OG Anunoby last week.

Quickle averaged 20 points and 5.3 assists, and Barrett 15.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in those three games, two of which the Raptors won.

Quickley credits his new coach, Darko Rajakovic, for making the transition a smooth one.

“Darko pulled me aside while the (Memphis) game was going on,” Quickley reported, “and said: ‘You’re not having fun. Have fun.’ I’ve never really had a coach do that.”

The Warriors and Raptors, who met in the 2019 NBA Finals, will be meeting for the first time this season. Golden State swept last year’s season series, with each win coming by double digits.

–Field Level Media