HOUSTON - With the Warriors' last four-game road trip of the season kicking off in Houston Wednesday night, the battered champs are hoping to avoid getting swept by the Rockets in the season series.
Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 5:00 p.m. with Warriors Outsiders, followed by Warriors Pregame at 5:30 and a 6:30 tipoff from Toyota Center.
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Golden State will be without forward Kevin Durant Wednesday, who is day-to-day with an ankle injury.
Entering Wednesday's matchup, the Rockets have won nine straight games behind James Harden, who is averaging 36.2 points, 7.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds this season. With Durant out and Houston rolling, a Warriors' win Thursday evening will be quite an accomplishment.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
Warriors
F Alfonzo McKinnie
F Draymond Green
C DeMarcus Cousins
G Klay Thompson
G Stephen Curry
Golden State Warriors
Rockets
F PJ Tucker
C Clint Capela
G Chris Paul
G James Harden
G Eric Gordon
INJURY REPORT
Warriors: C Andrew Bogut is not with the team, F Kevin Durant (right ankle sprain) is out; C Damian Jones (left pectoral surgery) is out.
Rockets: F Isaiah Hartenstein (right Achilles soreness) is out
ROTATION OUTLOOK
Warriors: With Durant out, Mckinnie or two-way wing Damion Lee could get the start against Houston.
Curry has been struggling lately, averaging 22.7 points on just 38 percent from the field and 31 percent from 3-point range. In Sunday's loss to Phoenix, Curry shot just 6-of-20 from the field.
While Curry is struggling, Thompson is on the verge of hitting 200 3-pointers, which would make him the second player in NBA history to hit 200 3-pointers in seven consecutive seasons.
Rockets: Entering Wednesday's contest, Harden, the NBA's reigning MVP, is averaging 34.4 points, 6.1 assists and 5.5 rebounds over his last 10 games.
Fellow guard Chris Paul has struggled through injuries this season, averaging career-lows in points (15.3) and field goal percentage (41.1), but scored 23 points, adding 17 assists in the last matchup between these two teams.
Capela has come on as of late, averaging 18 points and 12 rebounds over his last three games.
Officials: Ed Malloy, Pat Fraher, Matt Boland