Warriors vs. Clippers watch guide: Lineups, injuries, player usage

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The Warriors are facing the prospect of an unwanted distinction they’ve not experienced in more than eight years: Losing consecutive games to the Los Angeles Clippers.

With a 141-122 loss to the Clippers on opening night in October, the underdog Warriors go into Staples Center on Friday night hoping to avoid back-to-back losses to LA and snap a six-game losing streak.

Pregame coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 6:30, with tipoff scheduled for 7:40.

[RELATED: How to watch tonight's Warriors-Clippers]

The Warriors last lost two in a row to LA on Christmas Day 2011, after which they responded by winning 31 of the next 44 matchups in the regular season and postseason combined.

That phase of dominance is on pause, if not over. Diminished by serious injuries and also resetting their roster, the Warriors (9-30) are barreling toward the lottery.

The Clippers (26-12), by contrast, made seismic roster changes last summer – adding Kawhi Leonard and Paul George – and are aiming for the first championship in franchise history.

PROJECTED LINEUPS

Warriors

F  Glenn Robinson III
F  Draymond Green
C  Willie Cauley-Stein
G  Damion Lee
G  Ky Bowman

Clippers

F  Kawhi Leonard
F  Patrick Patterson
C  Ivica Zubac
G  Landry Shamet
G  Patrick Beverley

INJURY REPORT

Warriors: G Stephen Curry (left hand fracture), C/F Kevon Looney (left abdominal soreness), G D’Angelo Russell (right shoulder contusion) and G Klay Thompson (L ACL rehab) are listed as out.

Clippers F Paul George (left hamstring strain) is listed as out.

ROTATION OUTLOOK

Warriors: With Russell missing another game, Bowman will handle the bulk of minutes at PG. Coach Steve Kerr has said Bowman likely will spend some time in Santa Cruz once Russell returns, with Jacob Evans III becoming the primary backup ... Green is coping with a nagging soreness in his right ankle but is not listed on the injury report and expected to play ... Who gets the opportunity to defend Kawhi Leonard? That task falls mostly to Robinson, though a couple of his teammates also can expect to take turns on LA’s leading scorer (25.3 ppg) ... Lee has scored in double figures in nine of his last 10 games and has become, at least for now, the regular starter at SG ... PF Omari Spellman has become the team’s most reliable scorer off the bench, particularly beyond the arc. He is 24-of-53 (45.3 pct.) from deep over his last 23 games ... They have lost their last six by an average of 11.3 points.

Clippers: The absence of George likely pushes Shamet into the starting lineup, where he began the season. After a slow start, he seems to be finding his stroke, shooting 43.9 pct. (18-of-41) from distance over his last nine games ... Leonard has not shot well since a stellar 35-point game on Christmas Day. In four games since, he is averaging 21.3 ppg but shooting only 35.3 pct., including 20.8 pct. from deep ... With SG Lou Williams and PF Montrezl Harrell coming off the bench, LA has perhaps the best two Sixth Man of the Year candidates in the league. Williams is having another solid season, averaging 19.6 ppg but Harrell has been fantastic, averaging 19.4 ppg and 7.3 rpg. Each has scored at least 20 points in three straight games -- the first bench duo to accomplish that in recorded history. Their presence explains why the Clips lead the NBA in bench scoring (51.9 ppg) ... With George averaging 23.5 ppg, the Clippers are the only team with four players averaging at least 19.0 ppg ... LA is 16-4 at Staples this season.

Officials: Pat Fraher (crew chief), Brent Barnaky, Dedric Taylor

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