Warriors at Pacers
The Golden State Warriors look to extend their winning streak to eight and finish a perfect four-game road trip when they visit the short-handed Indiana Pacers on Monday. The Warriors are averaging 120.7 points over the last seven contests as Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson each have shot better than 50 percent from the floor during the streak and combined for almost 80 points per game.
Durant is settling in with his new team just fine, shooting at least 50 percent from the field in 10 of his 13 games after draining 10-of-17 on Saturday to score 33 points in a 124-121 victory at Milwaukee. Golden State leads the league in scoring (116.8), along with shooting percentage (49.8), and faces an Indiana squad that sits in the bottom third of the NBA in points against. However, the Pacers come in off perhaps their most inspiring victory of the season after they found a way to win at Oklahoma City 115-111 in overtime Sunday without Paul George (ankle) or C.J. Miles (knee). George, Indiana’s leading scorer at 21 points per game, and Miles (13 points per game) are not expected to play Monday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (11-2): Durant leads the way at 27.9 points per game overall, Curry is averaging 29.1 during the win streak and Thompson 25.5 in the last four, but forward Draymond Green is still an essential figure if Golden State is to win another title. Green leads the team in rebounds, assists, steals and blocks and made a key defensive play late to preserve the win against Milwaukee. “That’s what Draymond does,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “He sees the game. He knows what’s coming. … I’ve seen that before. Draymond is unbelievable in those situations."
ABOUT THE PACERS (7-7): Point guard Jeff Teague led a host of heroes Sunday with 30 points, nine assists and a career-high six steals in the Pacers' first road win as all five starters scored in double figures. Thaddeus Young scored 20 and Glenn Robinson III, averaging 3.9 points coming in, had 16 to go along with 11 rebounds for his first career double-double as Indiana won for the third time in four games. Myles Turner had a rough shooting night Sunday (2-for-8), but contributed nine rebounds, two blocks and made 11-of-12 from the free-throw line to score 15 points.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Indiana C Kevin Seraphin (knee) also missed Sunday’s game and is considered day-to-day.
2. Thompson is expected to play his 400th game for the Warriors, who averaged 126.5 points in beating the Pacers twice last season.
3. Kerr was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Sunday for his comments on a radio show criticizing the officiating in Toronto on Thursday.