OAKLAND -- Steve Kerr will chase his 250th coaching victory Saturday afternoon, when the Warriors face the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle Arena.
Pregame coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 4:30, with postgame coverage immediately following the final horn.
A win would get Kerr to 250 in 303 games, the fewest in NBA history. His record is 249-52. Phil Jackson needed 346 games to reach 250 victories.
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Though the Warriors (42-13) showed signs of breaking out of their mini-slide in win over an overmatched Dallas team, the Spurs, even in their diminished state, should be greater challenge.
San Antonio (35-21) has struggled, by its standards, largely due to injuries. This is the second of six games in the Spurs’ annual rodeo road trip.
BETTING LINE
Warriors by 11
Golden State Warriors
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Draymond Green vs. LaMarcus Aldridge: These two All-Stars have gone at it for years, dating back to Aldridge’s days in Portland. Green is having a down year by his standard, while Aldridge is having a bounce-back season, averaging 22.4 points (49.9 percent from the field) and 8.5 rebounds, with a PER of 23.91. Green’s numbers rarely are impressive; his most visible impact is with defense and intangibles. He is playing through a few lingering physical issues, but expect him to be particularly psyched up for this challenge.
INJURY REPORT
Warriors: G Shaun Livingston (L elbow soreness) is listed as probable. F Jordan Bell (L ankle inflammation) is listed as out. C Damian Jones is on assignment with the G-League Santa Cruz Warriors.
Spurs: F Rudy Gay (R heel bursitis), F Kawhi Leonard (return from injury management), G Dejounte Murray (L ankle sprain) and G Tony Parker (back tightness) are listed as out.
LAST 10
Warriors: 6-4.
Spurs: 5-5.
GAME OFFICIALS
Marc Davis (crew chief), Derrick Collins, Kevin Cutler
SERIES HISTORY
The Warriors won the first of four scheduled games this season, 112-92, on Nov. 2 in San Antonio. The Warriors lost two of three games last season and are 6-5 against the Spurs in the Steve Kerr area. They were 8-51 against San Antonio in the 16 previous seasons.
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
TURNOVERS: It’s easy to see how the Warriors lost three of their last five games, as they averaged 20 turnovers per, leading to a total of 110 points for opponents. They have literally given away victories. The Spurs, though undermanned, are good enough to make them pay for such errors.
THE PACE: The Warriors rank No. 2 in pace and generally have done well in forcing teams to try and match their uptempo game. Though it may result in a few turnovers, expect them to use the same strategy against the walk-it-up Spurs, who rank 29th in pace, ahead of only the Grizzlies.
THE PAINT: The Spurs play their typically solid defense (No. 2 in defensive rating, No. 5 in 3-point defense), but they lack rim protection and are relatively soft in the paint. Only five teams have surrendered more points inside. The Warriors should be able to find success with penetration and off their occasionally used pick-and-roll.