PREVIEW: Christmas In LA — Warriors (23-4) Renew Rivalry With Los Angeles Clippers (19-10)

Golden State Warriors (23-4) at Los Angeles Clippers (19-10)

Tip-off: Thursday, December 25th, 2014 – 7:30 P.M. PDT

Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

TV: TNT | Radio: KNBR 680 AM

Livetweet: @BeeRyRy and @iAMgoldenstate at @LetsGoWarriors #LetsGoWarriorsLive

Projected Starting Lineups:

Warriors

PG: Stephen Curry (23.5 PPG, 7.7 APG, 5.0 RPG)

SG: Klay Thompson (21.6 PPG, 3.3 APG, 3.5 RPG)

SF: Harrison Barnes (10.9 PPG, 1.4 APG, 6.4 RPG)

PF: Draymond Green (12.4 PPG, 3.3 APG, 7.9 RPG)

C: Marreese Speights (11.9 PPG, 0.8 APG, 5.3 RPG)

Head Coach: Steve Kerr (23-4, .851)

Clippers

PG: Chris Paul (18.1 PPG, 9.7 APG, 4.6 RPG)

SG: J.J. Redick (14.9 PPG, 1.6 APG, 1.7 RPG)

SF: Matt Barnes (8.8 PPG, 1.3 APG, 3.1 RPG)

PF: Blake Griffin (23.1 PPG, 4.7 APG, 7.7 RPG)

C: DeAndre Jordan (9.3 PPG, 0.6 APG, 13.4 RPG)

Head Coach: Doc Rivers (663-508, .566)

Last Time Out

WARRIORS PREVIOUS GAME: The Warriors lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 115-105 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. Curry had 22 points on 10-for-14 shooting, but the Warriors were undone by the Lakers’ hot shooting.

CLIPPERS PREVIOUS GAME: The Clippers lost to the Atlanta Hawks, 107-104, at Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA. The Clippers are 3-5 in their last 8 games dating back to December 12th, 2014.

WARRIORS-CLIPPERS PREVIOUS MATCHUP: The Warriors defeated the Clippers in blowout fashion, 121-104. Green finished with 24 points on 4-for-10 from deep.

WARRIORS-CLIPPERS PREVIOUS MATCHUP AT STAPLES: The Clippers defeated the Warriors, 126-121, in Game 7 of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs.

Game Notes:

Festus Ezeli sprained ankle injury update after LetsGoWarriors attended morning shootaround.

Green told LetsGoWarriors he isn’t worried about his shooting slump.

Noey Kupchan, STATS/AP:

Getting back home could make all the difference for Los Angeles, which has won each of its seven games there this month by an average of 14.7 points.
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Griffin is averaging 29.6 points on 52.5 percent shooting over a five-game stretch at Staples and the Clippers are 9-1 at home when he’s scored at least 21.
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All-Star point guard Chris Paul is averaging 22.9 points against the Warriors since joining Los Angeles in 2011-12, his highest mark against any team during that span.

• “Festus Ezeli is out. Kerr said #Warriors trainer JoHan Wang called Kerr yesterday to say the ankle had swelled up…Kerr says either Mo Speights or David Lee will start tonight. #Warriors” — LetsGoWarriors (12/25/2014 11:22AM)

• “Festus Ezeli is listed as questionable for the game with a mild left ankle sprain.” — Diamond Leung, Bay Area News Group (12/24/2014 1:13PM)

• “Steve Kerr thinks Festus Ezeli’s tweaked ankle is going to be OK.” –Rusty Simmons, SF Chronicle (12/23/2014 10:23PM)

• “Steve Kerr said Steph Curry will get the first defensive assignment against Chris Paul, but the Warriors will mix and match.” — Simmons (12/25/2014 11:15AM)

• “Golden State and Los Angeles will play on Christmas Day for the third time in four seasons, last meeting on December 25, 2013, when the Warriors defeated the Clippers 105-103… The Warriors were the only home team victorious in the NBA’s slate of holiday games.” — Warriors PR

• “Steve Kerr and Doc Rivers tied atop the technical fouls list among coaches this season with four.” — Leung (12/24/2014 12:57PM)