After a tough road trip, the Warriors look to bounce back at home against the Lakers on Wednesday.
Warriors vs. LakersWednesday, March 14th 7:30 p.m.Oracle Arena
WATCH: NBCSBA, ESPN
RADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Radio Network
BACK AT HOME
Coming off back-to-back road losses, the Warriors will attempt to get back on the right track when they host the Los Angeles Lakers at Oracle Arena on Wednesday. This will be the fourth and final matchup between the two teams this season after Golden State prevailed in each of the first three encounters, although two went to overtime. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Watch the action on NBC Sports Bay Area and ESPN, or listen to the call on 95.7 The Game, the Warriors Mobile App and the Warriors Radio Network. FIND TICKETS
LAST TIME OUT The shorthanded Warriors put forth a great effort, but were unable to come away with the victory after falling to the Timberwolves 109-103 on Sunday. Full Recap
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
LAST GAME'S STARTERS
GSW: Quinn Cook, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and JaVale McGee
LAL: Lonzo Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Julius Randle and Brook Lopez
INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: Jordan Bell (right ankle sprain) and Andre Iguodala (left wrist sprain) are available to play. Stephen Curry (tweaked right ankle), Klay Thompson (fractured right thumb), Draymond Green (right shoulder soreness), Patrick McCaw (non-displaced fracture, left wrist) and David West (right arm cyst) are out. Team Notes
LAL: Kyle Kuzma (right ankle sprain) is questionable. Channing Frye (appendectomy), Josh Hart (left hand fourth metacarpal fracture) and Brandon Ingram (left groin strain) are out. Team Notes
MISSING BODIES
Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the Warriors’ back-to-back losses have come with a significantly depleted roster. Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala, David West, Patrick McCaw and Jordan Bell all missed both defeats due to injury, and even Quinn Cook was questionable for Sunday’s game in Minnesota with a right hand contusion, although he still ended up playing. Klay Thompson fractured his right thumb in that loss to the Timberwolves, and he along with Draymond Green (right shoulder soreness) are out for Wednesday's game against the Lakers. Winning in the NBA is tough enough as it is, but when a team is missing such a significant portion of their roster, it becomes a much taller task.
TEAM LEADERS
LOS ANGELES SCOUTING REPORT
The Lakers are highly unlikely to make the playoffs this year, but that isn’t stopping them from playing well down the backstretch of the season. At 30-36, Los Angeles currently occupies 11th place in the West, 6.5 games behind the Clippers for the final playoff spot in the conference, but they’ve been one of the stronger teams in the league since returning from the All-Star break. They’ve averaged 10.7 more points per 100 possessions since the break, and have scored at least 100 points in 21 straight games, their longest streak since a 35-game streak in 1988. Lonzo Ball has had a strong rookie season and is one of the more promising young point guards in the NBA, while Julius Randle has been on a tear as of late, and is coming off a career-high 36-point performance in their victory over the Cavs on Sunday. While the Warriors have swept all three previous games in the season series this year, it’s not as if they’ve been runaway victories, with two requiring an overtime period. If Golden State is to complete the entire season series sweep, it will likely require a strong effort, particularly on the defensive end.