Gameday: Bruised and battered Warriors in LA looking for road trip sweep

Share

Bruised by not broken, the Warriors aim for a sweep of their three-game road trip Saturday afternoon, when they face the Clippers at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 11:30, with tipoff scheduled for 12:35.

The Warriors (31-8) won on back-to-back nights in Dallas and Houston but arrived in LA with a lengthy injury list, including starters Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green. Curry and Green probably will play, but Durant won't.

The Clippers (17-20) have had more than their share of injuries. They have used 14 different starting lineups, none more than seven games. Center DeAndre Jordan is the only starter not to have missed at least five games.

BETTING LINE:
Warriors by 8.5

MATCHUP TO WATCH:
Draymond Green et al vs. Blake Griffin: The seeds of Green’s rise to All-Star status were planted with his work against Griffin in the first round of the 2014 playoffs. The Warriors since then are 12-1 against the Clippers. Griffin missed 14 games but returned last week and has played well in the four games, averaging 23.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.7 assists. He typically falters at the sight of Green. If that trend changes, the Clippers have at least a sliver of a chance to pull the upset.

INJURY REPORT:
Warriors: G Omri Casspi (mid-back strain), G Stephen Curry (R ankle sprain), F Draymond Green (R knee soreness), F Andre Iguodala (L knee soreness) and C/F David West (R ankle sprain) are available to play. F Kevin Durant (R calf strain) is out.

Clippers: G Milos Teodosic (R foot plantar fasciitis) is listed as questionable. G Patrick Beverley (R knee surgery), F Danilo Gallinari (L glute, partial tear), G Austin Rivers (R ankle impingement) are listed as out.

LAST 10:
Warriors: 8-2. Clippers: 6-4.

GAME OFFICIALS:
John Goble (crew chief), Tyler Ford, Haywoode Workman

SERIES HISTORY:
The Warriors won the first of four meetings this season, 141-113, on Oct. 30 in Los Angeles, and swept all four meetings last season. The Warriors have won the last 11 meetings and 19 of the last 24.

THREE THINGS TO WATCH:
THE STEPH FACTOR: In the three games since Stephen Curry returned, the Warriors are averaging 130 points on 55.5-percent shooting, including 46.3 percent beyond the arc. A lot of it is Curry himself, but the offense that had been sagging during his 11-game absence (105.2 points per game) has been revived. The Clippers defense, so tremendous early in the season, has slipped into mediocrity. Look out.

EYE ON KLAY: Klay Thompson is shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 45.8 from deep, both career-high numbers. The 50-40-90 Club is in play. But LA, where he grew up and usually plays well, has been unkind. In three games (against the Clippers and Lakers) in LA this season, he’s shooting 36.0 percent overall and from beyond the arc. He’s due for a big game. Overdue.

YEN FOR 10: The Warriors are a league-best 16-3 on the road and have won nine in a row away from Oracle Arena. A win Saturday would make it 10, tying the second-best such streak in franchise history set in 2014-15. The franchise record is 14, set during their 24-0 start in 2015-16. The NBA record is 16, set by the 1971-72 Lakers during their all-time record 33-game win streak.

Contact Us