Warriors at Lakers
THE STORY: Dwight Howard could be headed to California after all. If there is any truth in a Thursday story by Yahoo! Sports, the Orlando Magic center is being pursued hard by the Golden State Warriors, who look to snap a three-game losing streak when they play the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Friday. Howard has not indicated any desire to play in the Bay Area but the rumor is the Warriors would send Stephen Curry or Monta Ellis and a No. 1 draft pick to Orlando for Howard. First Golden State would like to solve its problem of winning in Los Angeles. The Warriors have lost six in a row to the Lakers at the Staples Center, last winning there on March 23, 2008. The Warriors are only 2-22 all-time against the Lakers at the Staples Center. The Lakers return home after yet another lost at Portland, 107-96 on Thursday. Kobe Bryant scored 30 points on 13-of-24 shooting, but seemed erratic late after starting 8 for 11.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, CS Bay Area (Golden State), FS West (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (2-4): Curry, out with a sprained right ankle, won’t play Friday, or Saturday against Utah. This is Curry’s third sprained ankle this season and he has had seven sprains and surgery on the ankle since October 2010. Curry will be evaluated in Oakland on Saturday. “It's the same ligament, and it's occurred three times,” Warriors general manager Larry Riley said. “So, obviously, we've got to do something with this. We can't just continue the way things are going and expect it to get better.”
ABOUT THE LAKERS (4-4): Speculation continues over just how much pain Bryant is in with a torn ligament in his right wrist. He was 0 for 4 on 3-pointers against Portland. “He will never say it, but I know that the wrist (pain) is there,” coach Mike Brown told the Los Angeles Times. “It's great to see him shoot the ball just for the simple fact that you know the wrist (pain) is there.” Reserve power forward Josh McRoberts missed Thursday’s game and likely will be sidelined again because of a sprained big toe on his left foot.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The Lakers have not lost a season series to Golden State since 1994-95 (3-2).
2. The Lakers were 0 of 11 on 3-pointers against Portland, the first game since November 2003 against Miami that they have not made a 3-pointer.
3. Los Angeles’ bench was 5 of 24 against Portland.