SAN FRANCISCO -- The Warriors have beaten the Spurs eight of the last 12 meetings in the Bay Area, with the most recent triumph a 141-102 rout last February in their final battle at Oracle Arena.
But with "Life Without Steph" beginning Friday night, don’t expect San Antonio to show any pity because coach Gregg Popovich is good friends with Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
Pregame coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 6:30, with tipoff from Chase Center scheduled for 7:40.
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While the Warriors stumbled into the season losing three of their first four games -- and losing Stephen Curry for several months in that third loss on Wednesday -- the Spurs have been better than many expected, opening with three consecutive wins at home.
[RELATED: Curry battling worst enemy once again]
This, though, will be the second night of a back-to-back road set. San Antonio fell, 103-97, to the Clippers on Thursday night.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
Golden State Warriors
Spurs
G DeMar DeRozan
F LaMarcus Aldridge
F Trey Lyles
G Bryn Forbes
G Derrick White
Warriors
F Glenn Robinson III
F Draymond Green
C Willie Cauley-Stein
G Jordan Poole
G D’Angelo Russell
Spurs: G Dejounte Murray (R knee recovery) is listed as out.
Warriors: G Stephen Curry (L hand surgery), G Jacob Evans III (L adductor strain), C/F Kevon Looney (neuropathy), F Alen Smailagic (R ankle sprain) and G Klay Thompson (L ACL rehabilation) are listed as out.
ROTATION OUTLOOK
Spurs: With starting PG Murray out for maintenance reasons, Popovich will turn to Derrick White and Mills to handle PG chores. Either could start, but the one that doesn’t could play just as much . . . Regardless of which PG doesn’t start, the bench is a cut above what it was last season. F Rudy Gay, G Marco Belinelli and C Jakob Poeltl have all been productive. White has been terrific, averaging 15.0 ppg and 23 mpg . . . It’s still DeRozan and Aldridge that drive this team. They are the only players averaging more than 35 mpg, with DeRozan averaging 23.8 ppg and Aldridge 17.3 . . . This is the youngest Spurs team ever under Popovich, with nine players under 25 and an average age of 26.3 years.
Warriors: The most compelling aspect will be Russell’s play. The Warriors need him at his best, at both ends, and rarely has he delivered – particularly on defense. If he isn’t effective, this could turn into a rout . . . The undersize Warriors have a monumental challenge in trying to rebound with the league’s fourth-best glass squad. Green and Paschall will need plenty of help from the lines of C Willie Cauley-Stein, C/F Omari Spellman and C/F Marquese Chriss. Though Chriss is healthy, he is the only player that never left the bench in a loss to Phoenix on Wednesday.
Officials: Eric Lewis, Brent Barnaky, Aaron Smith.