Hawks at Warriors
The Golden State Warriors will be without star Stephen Curry for a third straight game when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. Curry suffered a strained left groin against Milwaukee on Thursday, and a return date has yet to be set.
The Warriors missed Curry on Monday, when only three players scored in double digits during a 121-116 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, the setback coming at a time in which coach Steve Kerr is trying to get his stellar point guard to remain patient. "We're still going to evaluate daily and see where it all goes, but it's frustrating for him," Kerr told reporters. "He's had such a great start to the year. But again, it's a new injury for him and we've got to make sure he's fully healthy before we put him back out there." The Hawks have dropped four straight games, including a 107-106 setback against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday in the opener of their four-game road trip. Atlanta is just 1-6 away from home, but it came close to posting a win until LeBron James scored the decisive hoop for the Lakers with 15.3 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV, FS Southeast (Atlanta), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (3-10): Rookie point guard Trae Young continued his strong start with 20 points and 12 assists against the Lakers, but he felt a bit sour due to the result. "It was a battle, for sure. The way the whole game went back and forth," Young told reporters. "They made a lot of plays, we made a lot of plays. I feel like I could have done a little bit more to help get my team the win." Young has posted double-doubles in four of his last six games and is averaging 18.5 points and 8.2 assists.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (11-3): Small forward Kevin Durant recorded 33 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists while Klay Thompson scored 31 points but was just 5-for-16 from 3-point range in the loss to the Clippers. Kerr was concerned that the defense allowed 90 points over the first three quarters before giving up just 16 in the fourth while forcing the extra session. "Our defense turned it up the last six minutes, and that got us back in the game and gave us a chance to win," Kerr said during his postgame press conference. "We didn't deserve it. It was their game. They deserved it."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Warriors have won each of the last seven meetings and 12 of the last 13.
2. Hawks C Dewayne Dedmon (personal reasons) will miss his second straight game.
3. Golden State backup PG Shaun Livingston (foot) scored eight points in 19 minutes against the Clippers after missing the previous seven contests.