Warriors at Magic
The Golden State Warriors are beginning to look more like the 73-win team of last season and will attempt to extend their current streak to seven straight victories Sunday afternoon when they visit the Orlando Magic. The Warriors have scored at least 121 points in each of the last four wins, including a 125-108 triumph at Houston on Friday with 32 points from Kevin Durant.
Golden State boasts three players averaging at least 21 points, but coach Steve Kerr was especially pleased with the way his team played on the other end of the court Friday. “We have to defend like that,” Kerr told reporters. “That’s what we have to hang our hat on. Because if we can get stops, then we can get out and run. We’re pretty tough to stop in transition.” Orlando will give it a try after winning for just the second time in nine games Friday as seven players scored in double figures in a 112-96 victory over Milwaukee at home. Point guard Elfrid Payton has raised his level of play for the Magic, averaging 20.2 points and 7.4 assists the last five games, and will take on the challenge of Golden State’s star-studded backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
TV: Noon ET, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (37-6): Durant is averaging almost 30 points the last five outings and has matched Curry with nine consecutive games of at least 20 while Thompson has been held to 30 combined the last two contests. Forward Draymond Green brings it all together for Golden State while leading the team in rebounds (8.7), assists (7.7) and steals (1.98). The Warriors drained 15 from 3-point range against Houston and held the most lethal long-range shooting team in the league (14.7 per game) to just 7-of-35 from behind the arc.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (18-27): Orlando showed plenty more energy than it did in the previous game – a 118-98 loss at New Orleans – and received a big effort from Jeff Green (18 points, seven rebounds, two blocks) off the bench. Payton’s efforts have been needed badly with guards Evan Fournier (heel), C.J. Wilcox (Achilles) and Jodie Meeks (thumb) out. That also gives former first-round pick Mario Hezonja more playing time and the 21-year-old Croatian has drained 4-of-7 from 3-point range over the last three games while averaging more than 17 minutes.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Golden State has dished out at least 30 assists in 30 games this season and is 29-1 in those encounters.
2. Orlando C Nikola Vucevic is averaging 17 points and shooting 56.7 percent from the field the last five games.
3. The Warriors have won the last six in the series, including a 130-114 triumph at Orlando last season.