The Warriors play the back end of a home back-to-back as they take on the Spurs for the first time this season.
Warriors vs. SpursSaturday, Dec. 45:30 p.m.Chase Center
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RIGHT BACK AT IT
Coming off of Friday’s win over the Suns, the Warriors will be back on their home hardwood on Saturday as they welcome the Spurs to Chase Center. This will be the first of this season’s four head-to-head meetings between the two teams, and as with most Warriors-Spurs matchups in recent years, this will mark a reunion of Dubs Head Coach Steve Kerr and his mentor, longtime San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich. Kerr had two stints as a player with the Spurs organization and was an assistant coach on Popovich’s staff with the U.S. national team that won gold this past summer in Tokyo. Both coaches prefer an offense based on ball movement, so it’s no coincidence that the Warriors and Spurs are ranked first and second, respectively, in assists this season.
LAST TIME OUT
The Warriors avenged their Tuesday night defeat in Phoenix and rolled to a 118-96 win over the Suns on Friday night at Chase Center. Stephen Curry made six 3-pointers and led the team with 23 points, Andrew Wiggins tallied 19 points, Draymond Green did some of everything and Gary Payton II and Juan Toscano-Anderson had big games off the bench as the Dubs took back the best record in the NBA. » Full Game Recap
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
PREVIOUS GAME STARTERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney
SAS: Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Doug McDermott, Keldon Johnson and Jakob Poeltl
INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: Andre Iguodala (right knee soreness), Jonathan Kuminga (G League assignment), Moses Moody (G League assignment), Klay Thompson (right Achilles tendon repair) and James Wiseman (right knee meniscus repair) are out. Team Notes
SAS: Keita Bates-Diop (sprained right ankle) and Devin Vassell (right quad contusion) are doubtful. Devontae Cacok (G League), Zach Collins (left ankle stress fracture) Joshua Primo (G League) and Joe Wieskamp (G League) are out. Team Notes
BOUNCING BACK
After getting bottled up on Tuesday night and being held to their lowest point total of the season, the Warriors were much sharper offensively during Friday’s win over the Suns. The Dubs shot 49 percent from the floor, made 19 3-pointers and didn’t commit nearly as many unforced turnovers on Friday. This wasn’t the first time the Dubs followed up a loss with a strong performance, as they’ve won each of their games following a loss this season by 21 (Oct. 30 vs. OKC), 18 (Nov. 16 at BKN) and 22 (Dec. 3 vs. PHX). Each of the Warriors’ first two losses this season were followed by seven-game winning streaks, and if the Dubs keep playing like they did on Friday, there’s certainly a chance for another extended winning streak.
TEAM LEADERS
SAN ANTONIO SCOUTING REPORT
Once a longtime veteran-led team that was a perennial championship contender, the Spurs are now in the midst of a youth movement with their youngest roster since Gregg Popovich took over as head coach in 1996. One of their younger building blocks is guard Dejounte Murray, who leads the team in scoring, assists and steals. Murray is one of six San Antonio players averaging double figures in scoring, and the Spurs have even more scoring depth in guard Bryn Forbes. A member of the Bucks’ 2021 NBA Championship team, the sixth-year guard had 18 points off the bench in Thursday’s win at Portland. That was San Antonio's third-straight win, marking their longest winning streak of the season.