Is Draymond Green playing tonight against Philadelphia 76ers? Latest on 4x NBA champ's status explored (Jan. 2)

Draymond Green will face a late fitness test to decide whether he will be available for the Golden State Warriors' first game of 2025 against the Philadelphia 76ers. Green has been a frequent name on the injury report recently, listed as probable with a nagging left low back contusion on Thursday. He missed the Warriors' loss to the Clippers on Saturday due to this same issue.

Along with Draymond Green, Kyle Anderson (illness) and Steph Curry (thumb) remain doubtful for Thursday's game. Green, a four-time NBA All-Star, has been one of the standout players for the Dubs, averaging 8.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists.

After being mired in controversy over the past two seasons, Draymond Green seems to be back playing at a high level.

The Warriors had one of their worst performances to close out 2024, with Green scoring only two points in 25 minutes and Curry scoring just 11 points as they lost 113-95 to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. They will be eager to get 2025 rolling with a win against the resurgent 76ers.

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Draymond Green’s stats vs Joel Embiid & Philadelphia 76ers

Draymond Green has faced the 76ers 22 times in his career, averaging 8.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists. In addition, Green might be tasked with nullifying the threat of Joel Embiid, who averages 23.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 11 games.

The two faced each other a total of eight times in NBA regular-season games, with Green holding a slight 5-3 winning record. If Green starts on Thursday, he will have to be at his absolute best to improve his tally against the 2023 NBA MVP.

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What to expect from Philadelphia 76ers vs Golden State Warriors

This will be the first matchup between the two non-conference teams. Last season, the Warriors won the season series 2-0. The last time the Sixers won at the Chase Center was in 2021. But the tables have turned a bit recently. As both teams vie to gain ground in their respective conference standings, this game promises to be more than just a simple contest.