Kings at Warriors
The Golden State Warriors had their 16-game winning streak come to an end last week but wasted no time bouncing back and will try to begin another streak with back-to-back victories when they host the Sacramento Kings on Monday. The Warriors will again be without Andrew Bogut (knee) but could get a lift from the return of David Lee. The former All-Star has missed the last 20 games with a nagging hamstring injury.
Bogut will be out indefinitely after receiving a platelet-rich plasma therapy on his right knee, leaving Golden State thin in the middle against Kings center DeMarcus Cousins. The budding superstar carried Sacramento to a 108-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers with 29 points and 14 rebounds on Sunday, snapping a five-game slide, but will be playing his first back-to-back since returning from a bout with viral meningitis. Golden State has been off since outlasting Oklahoma City 114-109 on Thursday.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, CSN California (Sacramento), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)
ABOUT THE KINGS (12-15): Sunday’s triumph marked the team’s first win under interim coach Tyrone Corbin and featured four different players scoring at least 19 points. The big surprise came from second-year guard Ben McLemore, who scored a season-high 23 points and stands to benefit from the switch to a faster tempo and more 3-point attempts. Cousins, who admitted to only minor fatigue after his first game back, has posted two straight double-doubles.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (22-3): Lee participated in practice on Saturday and Sunday, including a full-court scrimmage on Saturday with no issues. “He was pretty excited,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “It was great to see him out here and to see him getting up and down with our guys. We’re happy to have him back, and he’ll make us that much deeper and stronger, and give us another weapon to use.” The Warriors are expected to bring Lee off the bench in limited minutes due to the presence of Draymond Green, who is flourishing in an expanded role and averaging 13.1 points and 8.1 rebounds.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Warriors have taken five straight in the series, including a 95-77 triumph at Sacramento on opening night.
2. Kings G Ramon Sessions (back) sat out Sunday and is day-to-day.
3. Golden State G Stephen Curry has attempted at least 10 3-pointers in each of the last four games, going 15-for-43.