Game Preview: Warriors vs. Rockets - 2/24/23

BACK ON WARRIORS GROUND
Playing the back end of a road-home back-to-back, the Warriors (29-30) host the Houston Rockets (13-45) on Friday at Chase Center. This will be the Dubs’ third of four head-to-head meetings with the Rockets this season, with the Warriors winning their most recent matchup 120-101 at Chase Center on Dec. 3rd. Andrew Wiggins had 36 points in that game, leading the Dubs to their second win in as many tries against Houston this season. Friday's game will open a five-game homestand for the Warriors, who are 22-7 at Chase Center on the season.

LAST TIME OUT
Despite 52 points from their bench, the Warriors shot just 38.1 percent from the floor in Thursday's 124-111 road loss to the Lakers in the Dubs' first game after the All-Star break. Klay Thompson had 22 points, Ty Jerome added 20 and Kevon Looney had a double-double, but it wasn't enough to contend with a Lakers team that shot 16-for-30 from distance. » Full Game Recap

PREVIOUS GAME STARTERS
GSW: Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Donte DiVincenzo, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green 
HOU: Jalen Green, Jae'Sean Tate, KJ Martin, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun

INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: Stephen Curry (left superior tib/fib sprain), Andrew Wiggins (personal reasons), Andre Iguodala (right hip soreness), Gary Payton II (right adductor soreness) and Ryan Rollins (right foot surgery) are out. Team Notes
HOU: Jalen Green (strained left groin) and Kevin Porter Jr. (left foot contusion) are out. Team Notes

TIME TO TURN IT AROUND
The Warriors have lost four of their last five games and are now under .500 for the first time in over a month. Going into Friday’s game, the Dubs are in 10^th place in the West. If the season ended today, they would be in position for the final spot in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament, which features the 7^th through 10^th place teams that determines the final two playoff berths. The good news for the Warriors is that they are just two games behind sixth place, which would be a guaranteed playoff berth. But the Dubs are also only a half-game ahead of the Thunder, and continued Warriors struggles can leave the Dubs on the outside looking in on the postseason picture.

Fortunately for the Warriors, they are coming home for a five-game homestand. After Friday’s date with the Rockets, the remainder of the homestand features opponents that are all within three games in the standings of the Warriors, meaning the Dubs can improve their position in the standings if they take care of business. Of course, not having Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins in the lineup doesn’t help, and Curry figures to be out of action until late next week at the soonest. It’s certainly a challenge for the Warriors playing shorthanded, but they have bounced back from rough patches on multiple occasions this season, and time is better for a bounce-back game than the present.

HOUSTON SCOUTING REPORT
Friday’s visit to Chase Center will mark the Rockets’ first game coming out of the All-Star break. Houston lost its last seven games and owns the worst record in the NBA. A team filled with youth, the Rockets were well-represented at All-Star Weekend with four players selected to the Jordan Rising Stars, the Friday night event that featured some of the game’s top first and second-year players. Additionally, KJ Martin was a participant in the Slam Dunk Contest.

Five current Rockets players average double figures in scoring, but their top two scorers – guards Jalen Green (21.8 ppg) and Kevin Porter Jr. (19.2 ppg) – aren’t expected to play on Friday due to injuries. Regardless of who has been available, the Rockets have struggled on both sides of the ball. They are near the bottom of the league in both offensive rating (109.2) and defensive rating (117.8), and are also bottom-five in scoring (29^th – 109.8 ppg), assists (28th – 22.4 apg), field goal percentage (30^th – .451) and 3-point shooting percentage (29^th – .326).