The Warriors begin a three-game homestand on Friday against the visiting Chicago Bulls.
Warriors vs. BullsFriday, November 247:30 p.m.Oracle Arena
WATCH: NBCSBA, NBA TV
RADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Radio Network
WELCOME BACK
Coming of a 2-2 road trip, the Warriors return home to play three-straight at Oracle Arena, beginning with a matchup against the visiting Chicago Bulls on Friday night. This will be the first of two matchups between the two teams this season, and Friday’s game represents Chicago’s lone visit to the Bay Area during the 2017-18 campaign. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Watch the action on NBCSBA and NBA TV, or listen to the call on 95.7 The Game and the Warriors Radio Network. FIND TICKETS
LAST TIME OUT
The Warriors proved unable to finish off their four-game road trip on a winning note after falling 108-91 to the Thunder on Wednesday night. Full Recap
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
GSW
13-5
2nd in West
PTS: 116.4 (1st)
REB: 45.6 (8th)
AST: 29.8 (1st)
CHI
3-13
14th in East
PTS: 94.4 (29th)
REB: 45 (11th)
AST: 21.3 (20th)
PROJECTED STARTERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Zaza Pachulia
CHI: Kris Dunn, Justin Holiday, Denzel Valentine, Lauri Markkanen and Robin Lopez
INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: Damian Jones is on G League assignment. Team Notes
CHI: David Nwaba (right ankle sprain), Zach LaVine (left ACL) and Cameron Payne (right foot) are out. Nikola Mirotić (maxillary fractures) is not with the team. Team Notes
TURNOVERS
Given how potent the Warriors’ offense has been, if the Dubs get more shot attempts than their opposition, chances are they’ll have a pretty good chance of winning. However, when Golden State accumulates high turnover totals, it inevitably results in additional shooting opportunities for the other team, which can put the Warriors in a precarious position. As such, there’s a strong correlation between the number of turnovers the Warriors commit and the outcome of their games. In Golden State’s five losses on the season, they’ve committed an average of 19.4 turnovers per game, the worst mark in the league. Conversely, the Dubs have committed just 16.2 turnovers per game in their 13 victories. Golden State is coming off a performance in which they permitted Oklahoma City to convert their 22 turnovers into 34 points. If the Warriors hope to get a better result on Friday against the Bulls, minimizing their turnover total is a great place to start.
TEAM LEADERS
GSW
PTS: Curry (25.5)
REB: Green (7.4)
AST: Green (6.6)
CHI
PTS: Markkanen (14.6)
REB: Markkanen (8.3)
AST: Grant (5.4)
CHICAGO SCOUTING REPORT
It’s a rebuilding year in Chicago, and the Bulls have gotten off to the kind of start you might expect from a young team in that position. At 3-13, Chicago currently possesses the second-worst record in both the NBA and Eastern Conference. They score the second-fewest points per game in the league (94.4) and are tied for the worst net rating (-12.7 points per 100 possessions) in the entire Association. Still, though, there are reasons for optimism. First round pick Lauri Markkanen has gotten off to a strong start and currently leads the young Bulls in scoring with an average of 14.6 per game. Chicago enters Friday’s matchup in Golden State having lost eight of their last nine games, including their last three by an average of 15.7 points per contest. They’ve only won one road game all season, a number Golden State will try to prevent from doubling on Friday night at Oracle.