Warriors at Lakers
The Golden State Warriors’ offense looked very ordinary without Stephen Curry leading the way on Wednesday. The Warriors hope to have their star guard back from a mild concussion when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Curry has missed two games this season, and they have unsurprisingly been the two worst offensive performances turned in by Golden State, with both ending in losses.
Curry hit the ground hard at Utah on Monday and was landed on by Jazz forward Marvin Williams. He walked away with a headache but was diagnosed with a mild concussion and the Warriors will proceed cautiously. “We just have a better rhythm on offensive (with Curry),” David Lee said. “We’re capable of getting easier shots, just because we’ve played with that lineup so many more games. Guys are in different spots when Steph’s not in there. ... It changes the spacing.”
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (8-4): Golden State averaged 77.5 points in the two games Curry missed, easily the two lowest-scoring performances of the season by the team. Andre Iguodala stepped up as the primary ballhandler and dished out 14 assists on Wednesday against Memphis but went 3-for-14 from the field, including a miss at the end of regulation the would have put the Warriors ahead. “Obviously (Curry’s) a big time player and not having him hurts us,” coach Mark Jackson said. “Next guy stands up and we are a no-excuse basketball team and I though my guys gave a great effort.” Backup point guard Toney Douglas (fractured tibia) is also out of the lineup, leaving seldom-used Kent Bazemore as the lone bench option behind Iguodala.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (5-7): Los Angeles watched the Warriors sprint past in the Pacific Division last season and are off to a slow start again, though a convincing 114-99 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday made them even midway through a four-game homestand. Injuries to Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant are forcing others to step up, and 26-year-old center Jordan Hill is proving to be up to the challenge with a double-double in three of the last four games and career highs of 24 points and 17 rebounds against the Pistons. “He’s playing as hard as he can play,” coach Mike D’Antoni said of Hill. “He’s got talent and he’s getting better.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Warriors crushed the Lakers at home 125-94 on Oct. 30, behind 38 points from Klay Thompson.
2. Golden State has taken two of the last three in the series but suffered a 118-116 defeat in its last trip to Los Angeles on Apr. 12 - the game in which Bryant tore his Achilles.
3. Warriors C Jermaine O’Neal (knee) and C Ognjen Kuzmic (broken finger) are out, leaving Golden State thin in the middle.