76ers at Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are in unfamiliar territory with a three-game losing streak and are in danger of dropping out of the top spot in the Western Conference. Coach Steve Kerr gave his star players time off to rest over the weekend and is hoping for a rejuvenated squad when the Warriors return home to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.
Golden State is 2-5 since All-Star forward Kevin Durant went down with a knee injury and held out Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala on Saturday as the team ended a brutal stretch of schedule with a 107-85 loss at the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors played eight games in eight different cities in 13 days, including three sets of back-to-backs on the road, and in the last week went from Atlanta to California to Minnesota to San Antonio in a span of six days. The 76ers are coming to the end of a four-game road trip and are looking to head home even after pulling out a 118-116 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. Philadelphia continues to get strong efforts from its young players despite the team being out of the race, and forward Dario Saric is rapidly becoming the favorite to win Rookie of the Year.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, CSN Philadelphia, CSN Bay Area (Golden State)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (24-42): Saric poured in a season-high 29 points and added seven rebounds and five assists in Sunday's triumph for his 16th straight game scoring in double figures and eighth time in that span scoring at least 20 points. Rookie shooting guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot got a rare chance to start on Sunday and delivered a season-high 18 points, one night after second-year big man Richaun Holmes scored a career-high 24 points against the Clippers. "We (are ending) this trip with Timothe Luwawu-Cabbarrot with a career high, you've got Richaun Holmes getting a career high, you get Dario setting a career high," Philadelphia coach Brett Brown told reporters. "It's the stage we're at as a team, where these guys are getting the opportunity to play, and play extensive minutes that can allow me to say those three facts."
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (52-14): The last time Golden State lost three in a row was Nov. 20-23, 2013, and the team has not dropped four straight since the 2012-13 campaign. Saturday's rest night certainly seemed necessary for Curry, who is locked in a terrible shooting slump while going 18-of-76 from 3-point range in his last seven games - a stretch that began with an 0-of-11 effort at Philadelphia on Feb. 27. "It's been a long two weeks," center Zaza Pachulia told the San Francisco Chronicle. "A lot of hours in the plane. The time changes and stuff. I'm sure everyone's looking forward to coming home."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Warriors will play 11 of their final 16 games at home.
2. 76ers SF Robert Covington (right knee soreness) sat out Sunday and is day-to-day.
3. Golden State earned a 119-108 win at Philadelphia in the Feb. 27 meeting - its seventh straight victory in the series.