Just when it seemed the Warriors were on the road to good health with Stephen Curry’s return to the lineup, they’re hit with new aches and ailments as they open a three-game road trip Wednesday night in Dallas.
In three days since Curry’s spectacular return last Saturday, four health issues have cropped up. Forwards Andre Iguodala and Omri Casspi won’t play, and Draymond Green’s availability is in question.
While the Warriors (29-8) will try to duplicate the offense that generated 141 points on Saturday, the Mavericks (13-25) are playing their best basketball of the season, winning four in a row, three of them on the road.
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BETTING LINE
Warriors by 7.5
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Stephen Curry vs. Dennis Smith Jr.: Curry puts the turbo in the Warriors’ engine and Smith has been doing the same for the Mavericks of late. The rookie point guard accounted for 19 points and six assists in his last game and posted his first career triple-double (21 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds) in the game before that. Curry played his best game of the season (38 points, 13-of-17 shooting, 10-of-13 from deep, zero turnovers) upon rejoining his teammates Saturday after an 11-game absence. Smith is talented and brash, so expect him to go right at Curry.
Golden State Warriors
INJURY REPORT
Warriors: F Draymond Green (L ankle sprain) and C Zaza Pachulia (illness) are listed as questionable. F Omri Casspi (back soreness) and F Andre Igoudala (lower back stiffness, hip strain) are listed as out. C Damian Jones is on assignment with the G-League Santa Cruz Warriors.
Mavericks: G Seth Curry (L tibial stress reaction), F Dorian Finney-Smith (L knee quadriceps tendinitis) and C/F Nerlens Noel (L thumb surgery) are listed as out.
LAST 10
Warriors: 8-2. Mavericks: 5-5.
GAME OFFICIALS
Scott Foster (crew chief), Gediminas Petraitis, Aaron Smith.
SERIES HISTORY
The Warriors won the first two of four meetings this season, 133-103 on Oct. 23 in Dallas and 112-97 on Dec. 14 in Oakland. The Warriors last season swept three games. They have won eight in a row and 17 of the last 20 meetings.
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
THE STEPH SHOW: Curry has a tendency to go on shooting streaks that are nothing less than mesmerizing, as we witnessed last Saturday. Was that performance a one-night phenomenon or will it lead to something more? Expect Curry to be aggressive in trying to see if the magic can continue.
STREAKING: The Warriors have won their last seven road games, becoming the first team in NBA history to post road win streaks of at least seven games in five consecutive seasons. The current streak is the longest active streak in the league.
EYES ON THE RIM: Dallas ranks 27th in blocks and allows more points in the paint than any team in the NBA. The lack of rim protection will result in opportunities for the Warriors, who are first in fast-break points and 11th in points in the paint.