Programming note: Warriors-Kings coverage starts tonight at 6:30pm with Warriors Pregame Live on CSN Bay Area, and streaming live right here.
OAKLAND -- It’s not often that the Warriors feel they have something to prove, but there will be at least a measure of pride on the line Wednesday night.
Eleven days after a shocking loss in Sacramento, the Warriors take the floor at Oracle Arena trying to avoid their first two-game losing streak to the Kings since 2011.
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The Warriors (46-9), coming off a stunning 22-point loss at Denver, are looking to extend to 142 their NBA record streak of games without consecutive losses; no other team has reached 100. They’re 23-3 this season at home, where they average 122.3 points per game.
The Kings (24-32) are on their second four-game win streak this season. Can they make it five? They’ve had two five-game win streaks over the last 10 years.
BETTING LINE
Warriors by 18
Golden State Warriors
MATCHUP TO WATCH
JaVale McGee vs. DeMarcus Cousins: Cousins is a load under any circumstances, but he has been terrific lately, with 40 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists Tuesday night against the Lakers in LA. With the Warriors’ top two centers out, McGee has three goals: 1) Stay out of foul trouble; 2) Make Boogie work on defense; and 3) Do not let Cousins dominate the paint. The Warriors are fine with Cousins launching threes, but if he does damage inside and gets to the foul line, it could be trouble.
INJURY REPORT
Warriors: Klay Thompson (R heel soreness) is listed as probable. C Zaza Pachulia (R rotator cuff strain) and F/C David West (L thumb fracture) are listed as out.
Kings: G Ty Lawson (L adductor strain) is listed as questionable. F Omri Casspi (R plantaris tendon strain), F Rudy Gay (L Achilles tear) and G Garrett Temple (L hamstring, partial tear) are listed as out.
LAST 10
Warriors: 8-2. Kings: 6-4.
SERIES HISTORY
The Warriors have won two of three meetings this season and 13 of the last 14 overall. They have won the last six games, and 17 of the last 20, in Oakland.
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
THE REVENGE FACTOR: The Warriors hate to lose, but they hate it even more when beaten by a team they routinely dominate. Having lost to the Kings for the first time in nearly four years, they’ll be out to reestablish their superiority.
THE GLASS WARS: The Kings are a notoriously poor rebounding team; they rank 29th this season. The Warriors, largely through team effort, have become a good rebounding squad. After losing the glass battle 52-27 to the Nuggets, they’ll make a conscious effort to own it.
THE PACE GAME: Knowing the Kings (27th in pace) are not built to run, the Warriors (second) likely will push tempo at every opportunity. Given their relatively thin post defense, that may be the best way to grind down the effectiveness of Cousins.