The Warriors play their second game in as many nights when they travel to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks on Saturday.
Warriors at BucksSaturday, Nov. 195:30 p.m.BMO Harris Bradley Center
TV: CSN
RADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Mobile App
BACK-TO-BACK
No rest for the weary as the Warriors will play their second game in as many nights when they travel to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks on Saturday. This will be the first of two matchups between the two teams this season after the split their two meetings a year ago. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (PST). Watch the action on CSN Bay Area, or listen to the call on the Warriors Radio Network.
SLATE NIGHT
This being the Warriors’ first game on a Saturday this season, Saturday’s game in Milwaukee will be Golden State’s first ‘Slate Night’ of the year in which they’ll don their Slate alternate jerseys.
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
GSW
10-2
2nd in West
116.3 PPG (1st)
42.3 RPG (23rd)
30.9 APG (1st)
MIL
5-6
9th in East
100.7 PPG (23rd)
45.6 RPG (7th)
23.8 APG (7th)
PROJECTED STARTERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Zaza Pachulia
MIL: Matthew Dellavedova, Tony Snell, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker and John Henson
INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: Damian Jones (right pectoral surgery) is out. Team Notes
MIL: Khris Middleton (left hamstring surgery) is out. Team Notes
KING OF THE LINE
Given the amount of talent on Golden State’s roster, it’s easy to overlook Andre Iguodala’s nightly contributions due to their more subtle nature, but they’re certainly not lost on Steve Kerr. “He’s the king of the stat-line: 1-for-4, two points, plus-28. It’s incredible…we need him on the floor,” said Kerr of Iguodala prior to Golden State’s victory in Toronto on Wednesday. Iguodala was a plus-15 in that road win, second-best on the team behind Shaun Livingston’s plus-17, marking the fifth time in 11 games he’s ranked as one of the top two plus-minus players on Golden State. He leads the team with an average plus-minus of +16.0 in victories, and averages a team-worst -25.0 in defeats, albeit there have been only two of them. Clearly, Iguodala’s output – particularly defensively – seems to have a drastic effect on the team as a whole, and ultimately, the outcome of the game.
TEAM LEADERS
GSW
PTS: Durant (27.5)
REB: Green (9.7)
AST: Green (7.0)
MIL
PTS: Antetokounmpo (21.1)
REB: Antetokounmpo (8.7)
AST: Dellavedova (6.3)
MILWAUKEE SCOUTING REPORT
The young Bucks were on the outside of the playoffs looking in a year ago, and currently sit just outside of a playoff spot in the East with a 5-6 record. Entering their game against the Heat on Thursday, Milwaukee was one of eight teams in the NBA to rank in the top half of the league in both offensive and defensive efficiency, speaking to their balance on both ends of the floor. The Bucks have the longest collective wingspan in the league and use it to their advantage, particularly defensively, where they’ve limited their opponents to just 30.8 percent shooting from three-point range, easily the best mark in the entire NBA. Offensively, the Bucks depend on their do-it-all small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who leads the team in both scoring and rebounding. Milwaukee brought an end to Golden State’s NBA record undefeated 24-0 start to the season a year ago, which you can bet is still fresh in the Warriors’ minds. That loss came on the back end of a back-to-back after playing the prior night in Boston, which is the exact same scenario that repeats itself on Saturday. Should be a good one.