The Warriors close out their current four-game road trip with a matchup against the Hornets in Charlotte on Wednesday night.
Warriors at HornetsWednesday, Jan. 255:00 p.m.Time Warner Cable ArenaCharlotte, NC
TV: CSN Bay Area
RADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Radio Network
END OF THE ROAD
The Warriors close out their current four-game road trip with a matchup against the Hornets in Charlotte on Wednesday night. This will be the first of two meetings between the two teams this season, with their second and final encounter coming a week thereafter. Tipoff is scheduled 5:00 p.m. Watch the action on CSN Bay Area, or listen to the call on 95.7 The Game and the Warriors Radio Network.
LAST TIME OUT
Golden State lost in heartbreaking fashion, falling 105-102 to the Miami Heat on Monday night. Full Recap
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
GSW
38-7
1st in West
117.6 PPG (1st)
45.3 RPG (5th)
31.2 APG (1st)
CHA
23-22
6th in East
105.2 PPG (16th)
45.5 RPG (4th)
23.4 APG (8th)
PROJECTED STARTERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Zaza Pachulia
CHA: Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller
INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: David West (non-displaced fracture, left thumb) is out. Team Notes
CHA: TBD. Team Notes
CONSISTENT COMBINATION
The Warriors haven’t lost very often this season, but when they have, it has almost always followed the same recipe. Monday’s loss in Miami was Golden State’s seventh defeat of the season, and in six of those losses, they’ve been both outrebounded and outshot from three-point range by the opposition. The Warriors’ loss to the Grizzlies back on December 10 was the only instance this year in which the Dubs outshot their opponent from three-point land and still lost the game, and even then, they only made one more trey than Memphis (the Warriors were also outrebounded). Golden State is currently the top-ranked offensive and defensive team in the league, but every once in awhile, the stars misalign, and even their bountiful pool of talent proves unable to overcome. Missed three-pointers tend to create long rebounds, and if those are gathered by the opposing team, they are frequently turned into fast break opportunities the other way. Of course, the Dubs possess some of the best three-point shooters in the history of the game, which explains why the frequency of getting outshot by the opposition is considerably low. If their world-class shooters get back to their traditional form on Wednesday, it will go a long way towards making life extra tough on the Hornets.
TEAM LEADERS
GSW
PTS: Durant (26.1)
REB: Green (8.6)
AST: Green (7.6)
CHA
PTS: Walker (23.0)
REB: Kidd-Gilchrist (7.5)
AST: Batum (5.9)
CHARLOTTE SCOUTING REPORT
There’s still a long way to go, but the Hornets remain right in the thick of the playoff race in the East. At 23-22, they currently occupy the sixth seed in the conference, but sit just one game ahead of Chicago for the eighth and final playoff spot. They’ve been a bit inconsistent as of late, having lost seven of eight before rebounding with three-straight wins to begin their current homestand. They saw their winning streak come to an end with a 109-99 loss against the Wizards on Monday, and now close out their homestand against the Warriors, who have won the last four meetings between the two teams. Kemba Walker has established himself as the true leader of the team, and is likely headed for his first All-Star game selection this season. Charlotte is the seventh-most efficient defensive team in the league, while Golden State possesses the NBA’s best defensive rating, meaning points could be at a premium as the Dubs look to close out their road trip on a winning note.