HOUSTON -- With a fifth consecutive trip to the Western Conference Finals at stake, the Warriors have two chances to win one game.
They’d rather do it as soon as possible. That’s Friday night at Toyota Center, where they face the Rockets in Game 6 of the conference semifinals.
Pregame coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 4:30 with Warriors Outsiders, followed by Warriors Playoff Central. Tipoff for the ESPN telecast is scheduled for 6 o’clock.
With our All Access Daily newsletter, stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams!
SIGN UP HERE Though the Warriors took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series by virtue of a 104-99 win in Game 5 on Wednesday, they lost superstar forward Kevin Durant in the process. That will necessitate considerable juggling of a roster already thinned by the loss of center DeMarcus Cousins in Game 2 of the first round against the Clippers.
The Warriors, dating back to 2016-17, are 9-3 in closeout games. Most recently, they took a. 3-1 series lead over the Clippers and lost Game 5 in Oakland before winning Game 6 Los Angeles.
The Rockets, however, have played three elimination games since 2015 – and lost all three.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
Golden State Warriors
Find the latest Golden State Warriors news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
Warriors
F – Andre Iguodala
F – Draymond Green
C – Andrew Bogut
G – Klay Thompson
G – Stephen Curry
Rockets
F – Eric Gordon
F – PJ Tucker
C – Clint Capela
G – James Harden
G – Chris Paul
INJURY REPORT
Warriors: C DeMarcus Cousins (L quadriceps tear), F Kevin Durant (R calf strain) and C Damian Jones (L pectoral surgery) are listed as out.
Rockets: No injuries listed.
ROTATION OUTLOOK
Warriors: Bogut gets the nod at center because he has the ability to set a tone of toughness from the start. It’s unlikely that Jordan Bell, who made two glaring errors in a span of 7.2 seconds in Game 4, will figure in the equation... .Either Curry or Thompson will need an extraordinary scoring night, and both are capable. Curry’s best came in Game 4 (30 points, 12-25 FG, 4-14 3p), while Thompson’s was in Game 5 (27 points, 11-20 FG, 5-10 3p). Thompson has had some memorable Game 6 performances, most recently a 35-point outburst in vs. Houston in the 2018 WCF.. . . Asked after morning shootaround about the roles of F Jonas Jerebko and F Alfonzo McKinnie, Kerr said both should expect meaningful playing time. Durant’s absence elevates the need for both to serve as 3-point threats.
[RELATED: How KD injury benefits Rockets]
Rockets: Keep an eye on Harden, who has had some curiously poor performances in elimination games. He also finished Game 5 on an odd note, taking only one shot – an uncontested layup – in the final 8:58 of a game that was close throughout.. . . Coach Mike Dunleavy responds to questions about changes by reminding everyone that the Rockets have been the same team for several years and that’s what they know. The only starter averaging fewer than 39 minutes in the series is Capela (28.4), who subs out when they go small.. . . G Austin Rivers and F Iman Shumpert have been effective, coming off the bench to shoot a combined 40 percent (16-40) from beyond the arc.. . . The Rockets are 5-0 at home this postseason.
Officials: Marc Davis (chief), Eric Lewis, Pat Fraher. Alternate: Rodney Mott.