PREVIEW: Golden State Warriors (42-9) vs San Antonio Spurs (34-19) — Trying Not To Get Beat Up By Big Brother Again

Golden State Warriors (41-9) vs San Antonio Spurs (34-19)

Tip-off: Friday, February 20th, 2015 – 7:30PM PDT

Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA

TV: CSN Bay Area | Radio: KNBR 680 AM

Livetweet: @LetsGoWarriors #LetsGoWarriorsLive

Projected Starting Lineups:

Warriors

PG: Stephen Curry (23.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 7.9 APG)

SG: Klay Thompson (22.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.9 APG)

SF: Harrison Barnes (10.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.5 APG)

PF: Draymond Green (11.1 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.6 APG)

C: Andrew Bogut (6.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 2.8 APG)

Head Coach: Steve Kerr (42-9, .824)

Spurs

PG: Tony Parker (14.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 4.7 APG)

SG: Danny Green (12 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2 APG)

SF: Kawhi Leonard (15.4 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.5 APG)

PF: Tim Duncan (14.5 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.9 APG)

C: Aron Baynes (6.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 0.4 APG)

Head Coach: Gregg Popovich (1001-462, .684)

Last Times Out

LAST WARRIORS GAME: On 2/11/2015, Golden State defeated Minnesota, 94-91.

LAST SPURS GAME: On 2/19/2015, the Clippers defeated San Antonio, 119-115.

LAST WARRIORS-SPURS MATCHUP: On 11/11/2014, Golden State lost to San Antonio, 113-100.

Game Notes

• The Warriors will wear special red-and-gold-trimmed Chinese New Year uniforms tonight.

• “Warriors to Display Stephen Curry’s NBA All-Star 2015 Three-Point Contest Trophy at Oracle Arena Friday Night” — Warriors PR

• From Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group:
  

  
  “The Warriors will face a test against San Antonio, a team that Kerr played for and borrows principles from when running the ball movement-oriented offense.
  .
  When the Spurs came to Oracle Arena in November, they schooled the Warriors and came away with a 113-100 win.
  .
  Golden State has pointed to that loss as one of the turning points of the season, as the Warriors saw that committing 20 turnovers against a quality team was a recipe for disappointment.
  .
  “We were kind of the pet project compared to them, and they taught us a lesson that night,” Bogut said.
  .
  Since then, the Warriors cleaned up their act and now average 14.6 turnovers per game, a small improvement from last season but dramatic when the increase in ball movement is considered.
  .
  The Warriors spoke of winning a championship during the offseason, and now the reality is that they’re in a better position now to take down the Spurs.
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  “They’re the gold standard, and we’re trying to get where they are,” Kerr said.
  

• “Andre Iguodala: ‘The Spurs seem to be this team’s big brother, and they just keep beating on us a little bit.'” — Leung

• “The Spurs defeated the Warriors, 4-2, in the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs… Only the eventual-champion Miami Heat and the Warriors beat the Spurs in a postseason contest in the 2013 Playoffs.” — Warriors PR

• “The Spurs swept the season series (4-0) in 2013-14, recording their fifth sweep in the past six campaigns.” — Warriors PR

• “San Antonio has taken 53 of the last 61 games against Golden State dating back to April 4, 1998.” — Warriors PR