Los Angeles Lakers host struggling Golden State Warriors at Staples Center
Watch Warriors @ Lakers live on Sky Sports Arena in the early hours of Thursday morning (3am)
Thursday 14 November 2019 04:23, UK
The Golden State Warriors begin a stretch of five of six games on the road as they face the Los Angeles Lakers in the early hours of Thursday morning, live on Sky Sports Arena.
Live NBA: Golden State @ L.A. Clippers
After playing each other four times in the preseason, this will be the first time the two squads go head-to-head out of their four scheduled meetings this season.
The two teams enter the game on opposite ends of the standings, as the Lakers lead the West with a 7-2 record while the Dubs currently occupy last place at 2-9.
In the Warriors' last game, D'Angelo Russell kept his hot hand going with his fourth straight game of 30-or-more points, which included four three-pointers in the first quarter. However, the Utah Jazz had a splash party of their own with 16 made treys on 45.7 per cent shooting from deep, enough to defeat the Dubs 122-108.
The Lakers' All-Star frontcourt of LeBron James and Anthony Davis has been dominant in the season's early going. Both players are averaging a double-double. Davis' 26.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and career-high 3.1 blocks are all team-high marks. James is putting up 24.6 points and a team-high 11.0 assists per game.
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Though the duo are a constant scoring threat, they are two of just four Lakers to average double digits in scoring, the others being Avery Bradley (10.3) and Kyle Kuzma (10.2). What has been key for the Lakers this season is their defense. They have the best defensive rating in the league and have limited their opponents to just over 100 points per game, the third-best mark in the NBA.
For the Warriors, Jacob Evans (left abductor strain) is questionable. Eric Paschall (hip contusion), Stephen Curry (left hand fracture), Kevon Looney (neuropathy), Alen Smailagic (right ankle sprain) and Klay Thompson (left ACL rehab) are all out.
Troy Daniels (left knee injury) and Rajon Rondo (mild right calf strain) are questionable for the Lakers while Davis (sore right shoulder) is probable.
Last time out
Numbers game
98.1 - That's the Lakers' defensive rating, the average points they concede per 100 possessions. It is the best mark in the league.
With Davis, the resurgent Dwight Howard and Javale McGee protecting the rim and Avery Bradley and LeBron James fully committed on the perimeter, the Lakers' defense has been their calling card thus far and has propelled them to the top of the Western Conference standings.
One to watch (Warriors): Jordan Poole
Rookie Poole missed his lone free throw attempt in Monday's loss to the Jazz, ending his streak of 23 consecutive makes from the free-throw line. He is the first Warrior in 20 years to begin a career with a free throw streak that long, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Poole's free throw streak ended during what otherwise was his best shooting performance in 10 days. He shot 5-for-11 from the floor against Utah's tough defense, ending a stretch of five games in which he shot at or below 33 per cent from the field in each one.
As the Warriors deal with their share of injuries, players like Poole will have opportunities to show that they belong to be in the rotation when the team eventually gets back to full strength.
One to watch (Lakers): Kyle Kuzma
Having missed the opening four games of the season while recovering from the foot injury that cost him a place on the US FIBA World Cup team, Kuzma has returned in a bench role and appears to be getting back to his explosive best.
Kuzma drained two critical late three-pointers en route to a season-best 23 points on 56.2 per cent shooting as the Lakers held off the Suns on Tuesday night.
