A pair of 12-win teams go head-to-head on Friday night on Warriors Ground.
TOWN BUSINESS
The Warriors have been struggling lately but will try to get it going against a Trail Blazers squad that will also be looking to bounce back from an ugly defeat on Wednesday. This matchup will be the first of this season’s four Warriors-Trail Blazers matchups, and last season Portland was one of the few teams to win their season series with the Dubs. The Warriors will be sporting their “The Town” uniforms in the game, which is fitting with Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard being a proud Oakland native.
LAST TIME OUT
TThe Warriors suffered their second home loss of the season on Wednesday, falling to the Thunder 123-95 for their fourth straight defeat. Full Recap
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
| GSW | POR |
|---|---|
| 12-7 | 12-6 |
| 5th in West | 2nd in West |
| PTS: 115.4 (7th) | PTS: 114.2 (8th) |
| REB: 45.5 (14th) | REB: 50.4 (2nd) |
| AST: 28.2 (1st) | AST: 20.5 (27th) |
LAST GAME'S STARTERS
GSW: Quinn Cook, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Damian Jones
POR: Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Jake Layman Al-Farouq Aminu and Jusuf Nurkic
INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: DeMarcus Cousins (left Achilles rehab) and Stephen Curry (left groin strain), Draymond Green (right toe sprain) and Alfonzo McKinnie (left foot soreness) are out. Team Notes
POR: Seth Curry (right knee) and Maurice Harkless (left knee) are probable. Team Notes
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
The Warriors have lost four straight games for the first time in more than five years. But despite the team’s struggles, they are getting contributions from several reserves. The Dubs signed Damion Lee to a two-way contract, and in multiple games this season he has provided a much-needed spark. On Wednesday, he matched his season-high with 13 points, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers. Lee has shown the ability to make shots in bunches, a trait that is certainly welcomed by the club in its current state with injuries to multiple All-Stars. Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson will carry the load offensively more often than not, but having another player be able to consistently knock down shots will certainly benefit the Dubs in the long run.
TEAM LEADERS
| GSW | POR |
|---|---|
| PTS: Curry (29.5) | PTS: Lillard (26.4) |
| REB: Green (7.5) | REB: Nurkic (10.7) |
| AST: Green (7.2) | AST: Lillard (6.1) |
PORTLAND SCOUTING REPORT
The Trail Blazers come into Friday’s tilt with the Dubs on the last stop of a six-game road trip. The Trail Blazers have a top-five offense and are tied with both the Grizzlies and the Warriors for the most wins in the Western Conference. Portland suffered a 43-point loss to the Bucks on Wednesday, but has otherwise had a strong season thus far. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are one of the NBA’s top backcourts. Lillard is seventh in the league in the scoring with 26.4 points per game, and McCollum is also threat to have a big night in any given game. Jusuf Nurkic provides a strong presence in the paint with 15.2 points and 10.9 rebounds per game for the Trail Blazers, who are also ranked second in the league in rebounding.
