Warriors at Magic
The Golden State Warriors look to post their 12th consecutive win in the all-time series when they visit the Orlando Magic on Thursday. Golden State has had its way with the Magic since dropping a 99-85 decision in Orlando on Dec. 14, 2012.
The Warriors left the arena in Miami in a stunned mood on Wednesday after Heat guard Dwyane Wade hit a miraculous 3-pointer as time expired for a 126-125 triumph. "They played harder than us all night, they played better than us," Warriors small forward Kevin Durant told reporters after his team's lead over Denver in the Western Conference was reduced to one-half game. "They really deserved to win this game." Orlando has won eight of its last 11 contests but is coming off a 108-103 loss at New York in which it was outscored 30-13 in the final quarter. "We just didn't do the things that we needed to do to finish this game off," Magic All-Star center Nikola Vucevic told reporters. "We did it in stretches to build the lead up more than 10 points, and then we go away from it and let them back into the game. If we had executed as a team, we would have been able to build a big lead and finish the game off."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (Golden State), FS Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (43-18): Durant scored 49 points in a 116-110 home win over the Magic on Nov. 26 and recorded 29 against the Heat as his team trailed by 24 before staging a rally. "We didn't want to lose by 25 points," Durant said, "so guys' pride stepped up in the second half." Klay Thompson registered 36 points against Miami and has scored 20 or more in eight of his last 10 contests.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (28-34): Reserve swingman Terrence Ross averaged 21.3 points during a three-game stretch before recording just three on 1-of-10 shooting against the Knicks. Ross was far from the only bench player who fared poorly as Orlando was outscored 75-7 by New York's reserves. "We all had some words up in here after the game, and I think we're going to make a better, conscious effort of whatever is working, that's what we're going to stick to next time," Ross told reporters of the bench players. "I'm not going to get into (what was said), but we all agreed, 'Whatever is working, we're going to do it until it stops working.'"
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Warriors have won each of their last five visits to Orlando.
2. Golden State C DeMarcus Cousins will be back in the lineup after being rested on Wednesday.
3. Magic SG Evan Fournier is 6-for-31 from 3-point range over his last four games.