Who's Playing
Matchup: Los Angeles Lakers vs Golden State Warriors
Records: Lakers (27-25), Warriors (36-15)
Where to Watch
Date: Sunday, Feb. 3
Time: 7:00 AM IST
TV: Sony Ten1 & Sony Ten3
Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
Game Preview
Yes, the Warriors 11-game win streak was snapped on Friday by the Philadelphia 76ers.
.@JoelEmbiid (26 PTS, 20 REB) & @BenSimmons25 (26 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST) guide the @sixers to the road win over GSW! #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/0w6GORohE1
— NBA (@NBA) February 1, 2019
However, that could have been called as a one-off, as the team was missing Klay Thompson coming off their long road trip.
Despite their rough stretch early in the season (a 4-game losing streak and 5-8 in mid-November), the two-time defending champions have dominated the league's offensive stats - offensive rating (115.7 - 1st), points per game (118.8 - 1st), FG% (49.0% - 1st), 3P% (38.7% - 2nd), FT% (81.9% - tied 2nd), and assists per game (29.3 - 1st).
Their defense has also jumped improved slightly from being ranked 14th for the season in the defensive rating standings to 9th over the span of their win streak
Since his return from injury, DeMarcus Cousins has seemed a great fit in the Warriors' system. Through six games, the former All-Star has averaged 13.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists on 46.0% shooting in 22.3 minutes per game.
The Lakers will be without LeBron James who is sitting out due to 'load management' which the team announced prior to the game. After missing 17 games due to a strained groin that he suffered against the Warriors on Christmas, James returned on Friday against the LA Clippers and played 40 minutes in a much-needed win. James nearly recorded a triple-double, finishing with 24 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists.
Without the King in 17 straight games, the shorthanded Lakers went 6-11 and have five straight road games ahead of them before the All-Star break. They are currently one game behind the eighth-seeded Clippers in the Western Conference standings.
With 30 games left in the season, James' return couldn't have come at a better time as the Lakers need to win as many games as possible to make the postseason for the first time since 2013.
Game Notes
- At home, the Warriors have a home record of 18-7 (not even in the top 5 home records in the league right now).
- On the other hand, the Lakers have a road record of 11-13.
- Golden State is set to miss Damian Jones (Pectoral) in this game while Klay Thompson (Illness) is said to be a game-time decision.
- The Lakers will definitely miss Lonzo Ball (Ankle) while the young duo of Kyle Kuzma (Hip) and Josh Hart (Knee) are considered game-time decisions.
Last Time They Played
Date: Jan. 22, 2019
Score: Warriors 130-111 Lakers
Warriors: Klay Thompson - 44 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists on 85.0% shooting (10-11 on 3's)
Lakers: Michael Beasley - 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists on 7-of-8 shooting.