OAKLAND -- The Warriors will try to stretch their win streak to six Saturday afternoon when they face the 76ers, and they expect to have Kevin Durant available to help their cause.
Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 4:30 p.m., with tipoff scheduled for 5:30.
Durant was sidelined Wednesday, when the Warriors (9-3) defeated the Timberwolves, but participated in practice Friday and expects to be available.
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After four years of being plagued by injuries and incompetence, resulting in high draft picks, the 76ers (6-5) behind Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are off to their best start since 2012-13.
The Warriors rank second in 3-point shooting percentage (40.8), while the Sixers (40.0) are third.
BETTING LINE
Warriors by 13.5
Golden State Warriors
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Zaza Pachulia & Co. vs Joel Embiid: Embiid is the latest in a succession of talented young big men to confront the Warriors, who are making a habit of winning those battles. Embiid is a averaging 20.7 points and 10.7 rebounds a game and is coming off a 22-point, 15-rebound, three-block game at Sacramento. The Warriors will send their usual tag team of defenders, with JaVale McGee and David West following Pachulia. And, yes, Draymond Green will have opportunities to respond to Embiid’s playful boast that he’s “going to kick his ass.”
INJURY REPORT
Warriors: Kevin Durant (L thigh bruise) is listed as probable. G/F Andre Iguodala (rest) is listed as out. C Damian Jones is on assignment with the G-League Santa Cruz Warriors.
76ers: G Jerryd Bayless (L wrist contusion), G Markelle Fultz (R shoulder soreness/scapular muscle imbalance) and G Nik Stauskas (R ankle sprain) are listed as out.
SERIES HISTORY
The Warriors have won the last eight meetings. The have won 13 of 16 in Oakland and the last five in a row.
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
THE SIMMONS CHALLENGE: Ben Simmons is a 6-foot-10 point guard, for crying out loud. And he’s averaging 17.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 7.8 assists. This is what the Warriors have to deal with, and it’s a nightmare. Expect them to crossmatch and use Klay Thompson as the primary defender. Seems the way to go, as Stephen Curry has plenty of experience defending shooting Philadelphia shooting guard JJ Redick.
THE IMPORTANCE OF HANDS: The Sixers are young and prone to mistakes; they lead the NBA in turnovers. The key to the Warriors winning five in a row has been defense and they have excelled in forcing turnovers (17.8 per game). Philly leads the league in passes per game (350.5) and that will provide opportunities for the Warriors to deflect or steal or otherwise trigger their transition offense.
THE GLASS BATTLE: That the 76ers are able to play at an even faster pace than the Warriors is partially due to being the best rebounding team in the NBA. They’re tall (starting lineup averages 6-9) and athletic. The Warriors will have to rely on fundamentals and pluck to avoid being dominated.