UPDATE (6:01pm PT on Wednesday): Stephen Curry and kevin Durant, both listed as probable, have officially been cleared to play against the Lakers, head coach Steve Kerr announced 90 minutes before tip-off.
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Coming off their most disappointing loss of the season, the Warriors will attempt to right themselves Wednesday night at Staples Center against the Lakers, who have stunned them at least once in each of the last three seasons.
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Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 6:30, with tipoff scheduled for 7:35.
The Warriors (15-6) since Steve Kerr’s arrival in 2014 are 3-3 against the Lakers in LA, with all the losses by double digits. In their effort to reverse that trend, they expect to have Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant back in the lineup but will be without key reserve David West.
The Lakers (8-12), who have missed the playoffs four seasons running, have done some rebuilding and believe they have, in rookie point guard Lonzo Ball, someone around whom they can build.
BETTING LINE
Golden State Warriors
Warriors by 12.5
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Stephen Curry vs. Lonzo Ball. Entering the NBA on a yacht of publicity, Ball is being measured against every elite point guard he faces. Curry, however, is the first with two MVP trophies and two championship rings in his possession. Lonzo’s loquacious father, LaVar, has claimed his son is superior to Curry. Such palaver may not directly motivate Curry, but he’s well aware that he’ll be under the spotlight. Though each point guard is the key to his team, expect some crossmatching, particularly with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope getting significant minutes on Curry.
INJURY REPORT
Warriors: G Stephen Curry (R hand bruise) and F Kevin Durant (L ankle sprain) are listed as probable. C David West (L knee lateral soreness) is listed as out. C Damian Jones is on assignment with the G-League Santa Cruz Warriors.
Lakers: No injuries listed.
LAST 10
Warriors: 7-3.
Lakers: 3-7.
GAME OFFICIALS
Ed Malloy (lead), Kevin Cutler and Josh Tiven.
SERIES HISTORY
The Warriors won three of four last season and 11 of the last 14 overall, but have lost 14 of the last 18 at Staples.
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS: Lack of focus and intensity have been the biggest issues the Warriors have had of late against poor Lakers teams in LA. Maybe it’s the distractions and temptations of Hollywood, or perhaps overconfidence when facing sub-mediocre teams. Maybe it’s all three. Coming off a home loss to the Kings should serve as a wakeup call.
RUSTY OR READY: Nursing that tender knee, Durant has played in only one game over the past 12 days. He returned to practice Tuesday and admitted he’s still not 100 percent but is much better. If KD can find his game early, he could go off. The Lakers have no one on defense who can dream of stifling him.
TRANSITION O & D: Both teams love to run (Lakers lead the league in pace, Warriors rank fifth) and are good at generating turnovers that trigger transition offense. The Warriors lead the NBA in fast-break points, at 23.1 per game, and the Lakers are No. 2, at 15.2. The Warriors will have to bring their transition D to keep LA from going on runs that keep the crowd in the game.